Spat with coach does trick for Halep

SIMONA Halep attributes a surging French Open campaign to Darren Cahill, admitting the revered Australian coach’s decision to dump her in March is now a careerchanging catalyst.

Cahill stopped working with the Romanian after she sulked through a mid-match briefing with Cahill during a Miami Open defeat.

The South Australian told Halep he would consider returning after the French Open but, encouraged by improvements in her attitude since Miami, reunited with her in Madrid — which she won.

And with a dominant 6-1, 6-1 victory over Spanish 21st seed Carla Suarez Navarro, Halep has catapulted Cahill to the brink of another major achievement.

If tournament favourite Halep advances to her first grand slam title on Saturday, she will become the third player to reach world No. 1 under the astute Adelaide mentor.

Halep and Cahill began collaborating at the end of 2015, a connection that has built promisingly apart from a brief break this season after Halep’s Miami Open meltdown.

Halep said Cahill’s decision to walk was instrumental in her rejuvenated form.

“I think it meant a lot that he took that decision,” Halep said yesterday. “[It] helped me. I just felt that it was like a shock, because I lost the coach. So I have just to improve in this way.”