Romania
While soldiers are patrolling the streets of Bucharest, Wimbledon champion Simona Halep has been adjusting to a new, different pace of life. Romania, an eastern European country of 21 million, has been in a state of emergency since March 16 to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Everyone over the age of 65 has to stay at home while the rest of the country is only allowed to leave home for essential shopping or work, provided they carry a letter from their employers. A night-time curfew has also been enforced. “I have not been going out at all,” Halep, the reigning Wimbledon champion from Romania, told CNN Sport from her home in Bucharest. “I am definitely a person who takes these things very seriously and is nervous about them. The lockdown has been very strict here in Romania, we have had military on the streets and are not allowed to go outside.” Halep was born in the Black Sea resort of Constanta, and her 2018 victory at Roland-Garros turned the 28-year-old into a superstar in Romania. She received a huge homecoming after beating 23-time major singles winner Serena Williams in the finals of Wimbledon last year, celebrating her victory with 30,000 fans at Bucharest National Stadium. She was even rewarded with her own postage stamp.—Agencies
