Simona Halep played better tennis than anyone in the women’s draw at the 2014 French Open entering her finals match with Maria Sharapova. Halep has yet to drop a set in the tournament and won every set without allowing more than four games, save for her second-set tiebreak with Andrea Petkovic in the semifinals.
If Halep’s name sounds familiar to you, it might be because she received plenty of attention early in her career. Only the attention she received was not because of her play, but because of her body.
Halep, now 22 and currently ranked No. 3 in the world, used to have DD-sized breasts. Her large chest drew plenty of attention but also made it harder for her to maneuver on and off the court. The attention paid to her bosom also made her uncomfortable. So, five years ago, when she was 17, Halep underwent breast reduction surgery.
Halep does not like to talk about the personal issue anymore, but she discussed it at the time.
“My ability to react quickly was worse and my breasts made me uncomfortable,” Halep said of her breasts.
“It’s the weight that troubles me. My ability to react quickly, my breasts make me uncomfortable when I play,” Halep said at the time of her operation back in 2009.
Halep said she would have had the surgery regardless of whether or not she was a competitive athlete.
“I didn’t like them in my everyday life, either. I would have gone for surgery even if I hadn’t been a sportswoman.”
The reduction took Halep’s breasts from a 34DD to a 34C, which is much more comfortable for her.
It would be incorrect to assume Halep’s breast reduction led to her career turnaround, but we have to imagine it has vastly helped. She’s been playing significantly better tennis of late, having reached the fourth round of the US Open, the quarters of the Australian, and the finals now in the French.
After winning six titles in 2013 and reaching her first major final in 2014, it sure looks like Halep has found her stride on the court. We ordinarily would kid that getting breast reduction surgery is like slapping God in the face for giving you a beautiful gift, but we won’t in this case. It sure looks like Halep made the right choice for her life.
