A former Wimbledon winner shared her thanks with event organisers for a sweet gesture at this summer's instalment of the Grand Slam

Simona Halep looked virtually unrecognisable as she shared a heartfelt statement with Wimbledon on Saturday evening, thanking organisers for an "unforgettable experience." The 2019 tournament champion was invited to Saturday's women's singles final as a member of honour, watching Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova battle it out for glory on Centre Court.

In the wake of the tournament, Halep took to social media to heap praise on organisers for allowing her to soak up the atmosphere in SW19. She wrote: "Thank you, @Wimbledon, for such a memorable day and for another unforgettable experience.

"To be part of this club and to return here as a member is an honour beyond words. Wimbledon will always hold a very special place in my heart."

Alongside her post, Halep shared a series of photographs of herself, Centre Court and her guest pass.

Fans were quick to flood the comments section, remarking on how unrecognisable she looked as she turned heads in a charming baby blue summer dress adorned with floral patterns.

One wrote: "Simona is that you! ! Your still my fav," while another commented: "Didn't recognise her."

It follows Noskova's commanding 6-2 5-7 6-3 victory over Muchova on Saturday to claim her first-ever Grand Slam title at just 21 years of age.

No stranger to the highs and lows of Centre Court, Halep herself tasted glory in South West London just seven years ago.

Having already claimed the French Open the previous year, the now 34-year-old swept to a commanding 6-2, 6-2 victory over Serena Williams at Wimbledon to seal the second and final Grand Slam of her career, before hanging up her racket last year.

Yet her glittering spell on the courts was not without its share of controversy.

In 2022, the Romanian was handed a four-year ban for breaching international doping regulations after testing positive for Roxadustat - a performance-enhancing substance used to increase red blood cell production.

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! All the best sports news and much more on our dedicated Facebook page

Following an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, however, Halep's suspension was cut to just nine months in 2024, on the basis that Halep had not deliberately taken the PED, and that it had originated from a contaminated product.

Although she eventually made her comeback in 2024, the prolonged absence appeared to take a significant toll on Halep's form, as she suffered early exits at the Miami Open and the Hong Kong Open, before calling time on her career in February 2025 following a first-round defeat to Lucia Bronzetti at the Transylvania Open.