Romanian tennis player Simona Halep has gone through nose surgery to enhance her breathing and she would not play again prior to next year. Halep said in February she was close to ending her tennis career as she did not believe she could get back into the top 10.
I did not like my nose at all: Simona Halep
Former women’s World No 1 tennis player Simona Halep did not like the way she looked so she has undergone surgery on her nose to help her breathing which will also improve her breathing.
In an Instagram post, the two-time Grand slam winner stated that she will not play again this year, which meant her shock US Open first round defeat by unseeded Daria Snigur in 2022 is her last match. From her hospital bed, she took to social media.
Halep wrote: “When I lost at the US Open, I realized that I am completely exhausted mentally. Having problems with my breathing for many years already and becoming worse with time, I decided to follow the advice of my doctors and do the needed surgery.”
“I could never do it earlier because I never found the necessary three months for recovery, because tennis was always the first priority in my life.”
“But I felt it’s the right time to do it also to do something for myself as a person. That i why I did also the estethic (sic) part, that I wanted to do for a long time as I did not like my nose at all.”
“So I did, I solved the functional part and the estethic (sic) part. I know many of you can understand me. I don’t know how long the recovery will take… what is sure is that this year, I won’t be able to compete.”
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In an emotional post on social media Halep further elucidated that working in a pressure-free environment with coach Patrick Mouratoglou encouraged her to accomplish a return to the Top 10 in the tennis world rankings in two months, when she had given herself six to achieve the goal.
At first she said that the expectation she had placed on herself at the same time working with Mouratoglou had threatened to become a burden.
‘I always put pressure on myself and having the best coach next to me it felt even more pressure to win and do well,’ she said. ‘This ended up with the panic attack during my match in Paris.
‘I felt Roland Garros was the moment I have to play great because of all the work I’ve done. I couldn’t handle the pressure and broke down. Then I talked to Patrick and told him I needed to relax because I can’t play with the pressure I put on myself and asked him to be patient with me for six months.
‘He listened to me, agreed and supported me 100%. After that I could my best tennis and faster than I ever expected, in two months, I was back in the top 10. Goal achieved.’
Presently, the 30-year-old is in ninth rankings in the world yet which will fall with her now out of action for the rest of the year.
Moreover, in 2009, Halep had breast reduction surgery, at the age of 17, she has said that helped her career.
She said, at that time: ‘It’s the weight that troubles me. My ability to react quickly, my breasts make me uncomfortable when I play.’
