"I'm super confident next year will be better" says Simona Halep

She is now back to full fitness and she will look to use her health and tennis skill to finish off 2021 in style. She is back home in Romania where she will contest the Transylvania Open and speaking to the media she admitted feeling very disappointed in how the 2021 season went. She said:

“This year was a tough year with the injuries that I suffered and I struggled a lot just to come back but I am happy to be back on the court and happy that I can play again. I am healthy again and the positives are that I was able to come back and play some tournaments and some matches. It wasn’t easy coming back as I missed three-four months and didn’t play an official match."

Despite the disappointing year and regardless of how she does in Cluj-Napoca Halep firmly believes next year will be better:

"I still struggle, but I am super confident next year will be better and I still love the sport and love being on the court.”

One thing that could help her build some confidence heading into next season would be a trophy in her native Romania. Halpe has not played in her country for a few years and being back makes her happy:

"I’m excited to play in Romania, I played two times in Bucharest in 2014 and 2016 and I had great success and in Cluj, the organizers are really good and the conditions are great and hopefully I can feel in a good position for Wednesday."