FORMER World No.1 Simona Halep has been handed a four-year ban following a failed drug test after the 2022 US Open.
Here we take a look inside the life and career of Halep and her former marriage to ex-husband Toni Iuruc.
Simona Halep pictured with her ex-husband Toni IurucCredit: Simona Halep – instagram
Who is Simona Halep?
Simona Halep, born September 27, 1991, is a professional tennis player.
Born in Constanta, Romania to parents Stere and Tania Halep, she began playing tennis at the age of four – and by the age of six, she was already practising every day.
As a teenager, Halep relocated to Bucharest at the age of 16 to continue her tennis career.
Her first significant victory came in 2008, with a junior semi-final at the Australian Open and in May 2008, she won two junior tournaments: ITF 10,000 in Bucharest and the Trofeo Bonfiglio tournament.
By the time she was just four months shy of turning 18, Halep had climbed to the highest level in the Junior world rankings with the Roland Garros junior title.
After a successful junior career, Halep went on to win two Grand Slam singles titles and 24 singles titles worldwide.
She triumphed at the 2018 French Open and claimed the Wimbledon title in 2019.
Throughout her career so far, Halep has been ranked world number one in singles twice between 2017 and 2019, for a total of 64 weeks – which ranks twelfth in the history of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings.Â
Who is Simona Halep’s ex-husband Toni Iuruc?
Simona Halep married Romanian billionaire and businessman Toni Iuruc in September 2021.
After a year of marriage, in September 2022 it was reported that the couple had decided to call it quits and announced that they were filing for divorce – four years after they had started dating.
Speaking to Turkish news outlet Fanatik, Iuruc, 42, said: “We decided together with Simona to break up.
“Stop insisting, it’s my last public appearance.
“The rest will be handled by the lawyers in the most civilised way possible.
“Thank you for understanding.”
Halep and Iuruc’s split was reportedly amicable.
What is Toni Iuruc’s net worth?
According to Hollywoods Magazine, in 2022 Iuruc was worth a whopping £1.72billion, with his wealth coming from him being the proud owner of six different multinational companies.
In addition to that, it is claimed he comes from a wealthy family along with working in the real estate market with his mother.
As of 2023, Iuruc’s exact net worth is not known.