Tennis star Simona Halep has shared a message with her fans, expressing her thanks to those who have supported her in recent times. The 30-year-old is a two-time major champion and a former world number one, but struggled for much of last year with injuries, which saw her drop out of the world’s top 20.This season, the Romanian has returned to playing and has now offered her gratitude to those who have stuck by her.  Taking to Twitter, she wrote: “Throughout all my career I [have] fought for what I believed in and what I wanted to achieve. I will always do so, through the ups and downs. The unconditional support that I [have] receive[d] from many of you mean[s] the world to me. Thank you, the fight goes on.”

Halep’s difficult 2021

At one stage last year, Halep was ranked third in the world and was considered by many to be a favourite for the French Open.

However, at the 2021 Italian Open, the Romanian tore a muscle in her left calf, which forced her to withdraw from Roland-Garros. 

Having failed to recover from this injury, the 30-year-old then missed Wimbledon, where she was the defending champion. 

Consequently, Halep fell out of the top 10 for the first time since January 2014 –– ending her streak of 373 weeks in the top 10.  

After recovering from her calf problem, Halep then suffered another injury, this time to her right adductor. 

Despite returning for the US Open, the Romanian could only reach the fourth round and ended the season ranked 20th. 

Return to form

Having admitted that 2021 was a “dark period”, Halep made the perfect start to 2022 by winning the Melbourne Summer Series 1 back in January. 

The former Wimbledon champion has since reached the fourth round of the Australian Open and semi-finals in Dubai and at Indian Wells. 

Though she suffered a second-round defeat at the Italian Open this week, the world number 21 will still fancy her chances of challenging at Roland-Garros this year. 

Halep enjoying working with Mouratoglu 

The Romanian has recently started working with Serena Williams’ long-term coach Patrick Mouratoglou and says she is “thriving” under his guidance. 

"I'm very introverted in general, but with him, I feel comfortable, and I feel like he really appreciates my game, the way I am,” she said.

“It's easy to communicate. It's easy to explain what I'm going through during, before and after the matches.”

Responding to Halep’s tweet, Mouratoglou said: "Proud to be going through all this process with you @Simona_Halep." 

Halep has stressed that she wants to return to winning Grand Slams and Mouratoglou is certainly the person to help her do just that.