WTA: World number one Simona Halep suffers slipped disc

The tennis world number one Simona Halep has suffered a slipped disc and has to pause for an indefinite time. The 27-year-old Romanian announced this on her social media channels. The diagnosis had been made by an MRI examination.

Halep had recently given up at the China Open in Beijing in the first round duel against Ons Jabeur from Tunisia after the first set due to back problems. “I will talk to my doctors in the coming days and hope that I can come back quickly,” Halep wrote.

Last time in Wuhan Halep had lost in the first round against Dominika Cibulkova, at the US Open also in the first round against Kaia Kanepi. The Romanian’s last victory dates from the WTA tournament in Cincinnati, where she defeated Aryna Sabalena in the semi-finals.