Romania welcomes back Halep in star-studded exhibition with Graf and Agassi

Simona Halep, Steffi Graf, and Andre Agassi thrilled fans in Romania with a star-studded tennis exhibition. Jannik Sinner’s coach Darren Cahill shared images of the exhibition match in Romania.

The legendary couple, who recently participated in the Pickleball Slam in February, traveled to Cluj, Romania, for Halep's return to the court before her home crowd. Graf, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, and Agassi, an 8-time Grand Slam champion, showcased their skills in this special event.

In a memorable evening for Romanian spectators, Simona Halep returned to the court. The 2-time Grand Slam champion had been out of competition for 16 months due to a doping ban. Although she has rejoined the WTA Tour, injuries and her low ranking have limited her time on the court.

On Saturday night, the Romanian duo of Halep and her former coach Andrei Pavel faced off against former world No. 1s Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf. The Romanian pair emerged victorious, winning the set 8-4 in front of approximately 9,000 spectators, according to GSP Romania.

Halep opened the exhibition with a heartfelt speech to her Romanian fans: "I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I have always received a special welcome in Cluj. Today, I am here, happy to be present on a tennis court again, here to feel the love I missed these two years. But now I want to talk only about positive things, about the joy of being on the court, of playing tennis.”

“You gave me a lot of strength! I am not thinking about retirement; I don’t want this to sound like a retirement speech. I want to come back. I will certainly do everything I can to enjoy some matches and victories again. And to have you by my side. It’s the most beautiful feeling. I also want to thank my family, always here to support me. Thank you very much for all the support these two years. Let’s enjoy together!"

The event began with a men's doubles match where Horia Tecău and Andrei Pavel, former teammates in the Romanian Davis Cup team, played against Andre Agassi and Justin Gimelstob. Halep and Graf acted as ‘captains’ from the benches during this match, which ended in a 6-3 victory for the Romanian team.

The main event followed, with Halep taking center stage alongside her former coach Pavel. Opposite them, legends Agassi and Graf delivered an impeccable performance, culminating in an 8-4 win for Halep and Pavel.

Darren Cahill, former coach of Halep and current coach of world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, was a special guest at the exhibition. The Australian ex-tennis player shared images of the emotional day for Halep on social media, highlighting the significance of the event for the Romanian star.