Former champion Simona Halep withdraws from French Open due to calf injury

Simona Halep, former French Open champion, announced on Friday that she would not be playing at the Roland Garros this year.

The 29-year-old Romanian, who won the title at Roland Garros in 2018, tore a muscle in her left calf at the Italian Open second-round match against Angelique Kerber on May 12. She said it needs more time to heal. The French Open begins May



30.

It's with a heavy heart that I announce my withdrawal from the French Open this year," said Halep.

"Unfortunately, the tear in my left calf needs more time to recover, and the timeline is just too short. Withdrawing from a Grand Slam goes against all my instincts and aspirations as an athlete, but it is the right and only decision to make," Halep said.