Former world number one Simona Halep has been named honorary ambassador of the Transylvania Open, organizers announced on Tuesday, January 20. She will attend the 2026 edition of the WTA 250 tournament in Cluj-Napoca and will present the trophy to the winner at the end of the competition, Agerpres reported.

Halep is also set to be present throughout the event, taking part in meetings with players, sessions with ball kids and volunteers, and official tournament ceremonies.

During her career, Simona Halep won 24 WTA titles, including two Grand Slam trophies at Roland Garros in 2018 and Wimbledon in 2019, and spent 64 weeks at the top of the world rankings, becoming the first Romanian player to reach number one.

She played in the final of the inaugural Transylvania Open in 2021, and in 2025, she chose the Cluj-Napoca central court to officially announce her retirement from tennis, following an emotional first-round match played in front of home fans.

“Transylvania Open means more to me than just a tournament. It’s the place where I felt the support of Romanian fans at the highest level and where I experienced moments that will always remain close to my heart,” Halep said, adding that she is happy to return in a new role focused on supporting future generations.

The sixth edition of the Transylvania Open WTA 250 will take place between January 31 and February 7 at BTarena in Cluj-Napoca. The indoor hard-court tournament will feature a 32-player singles draw and 16 doubles teams, with total prize money amounting to USD 283,347.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Ovidiu Micsik)