Tennis player Simona Halep was included in Romania’s Fed Cup team against Canada scheduled on February 10-11, but she will not play.
Simona Halep has confirmed late on Monday she will not play in the Fed Cup matches in Cluj Napoca.
“Although I spent last week resting and trying to recover after the injury at Australian Open, unfortunately the recovery is not complete and I will not be able to play this weekend in fed Cup,” Halep wrote on Facebook.
“The team comes first and is much more important that the team includes players fit to play, so I have informed the captain, Florin Segarceanu, to find out ways to replace me with somebody else, fit 100% for the game. I am sorry for not playing for Romania, although it is important for me, but I will be there, in the stands in Cluj, to support the girls and to stand by the team during this very important match,” Simona Halep wrote.
Halep, 2nd WTA, has not completely recovered after the Australian Open.
The Romanian team includes Sorana Cirstea (36th WTA), Irina Begu (37th WTA) and Raluca Olaru (45th WTA in the doubles). Simona Halep will be replaced by Ana Bogdan (86th WTA).
The Canadian team includes Carol Zhao (143rd WTA), Bianca Andreescu (153rd WTA) Katherine Sebov (277th WTA) and Gabriela Dabrowski (321st WTA).
Romanian Tennis Federation (FRT) Vice-president, Razvan Itu, announced on November 1 that the Fed Cup matches between Romania and Canada will take place in Cluj-Napoca.
In April 2016, the capacity of the Polyvalent Hall in Cluj Napoca was extended to 10,000 seats.
Romania defeated Canada 3-2 in Montreal in April 2015, in the play-off for the World Group, Simona Halep being absent.
Romania is currently in World Group II, after defeating Britain 3-2 in April 2017, in Mamaia.