体坛英语新闻：Simona Halep named Athlete of the Year in Romania

BUCHAREST, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee (COSR) named Wednesday women's tennis player Simona Halep "Athlete of the Year" for the special results she obtained in 2014.

"Together with my colleagues in the Executive Committee we decided that Simona Halep deserves this distinction for her results in 2014. It was a great year for her. She represented Romania with great honor through her victories claimed in 2014," COSR President Alin Petrache was quoted as saying by the website of the committee.

Petrache renewed his invitation addressed to Halep to be part of Romania's Olympic Team to participate in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio and to bear the flag of the Romanian delegation.

Halep is a Romanian professional tennis player who is currently ranked No. 3 in the world. She first broke into the world's top 50 at the end of 2012, then into the top 20 in August 2013, and then top 10 in January 2014.

Halep reached the 2014 French Open final, her first Grand Slam final, where she played against Maria Sharapova. She lost this final in three sets. She also reached the final of the WTA Finals the same year, but lost to Serena Williams.

In the first half of January 2015, Simona Halep participated at Shenzhen Open, winning the title against Timea Bacsinszky, her ninth WTA title.