Halep finally a major success

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AFTER 12 years and innumerable setbacks, Simona Halep has earned the right to play with freedom for the rest of her career.

Pitied as a serial loser, the Romanian exorcised the ghosts of three previous major final defeats with a stunning French Open victory over US Open champion Sloane Stephens.

Ridiculed as a world No. 1 with hollow authority, Halep had the last word with a resounding 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 Roland Garros triumph, claiming January’s Australian Open setback was meant to be.

“Honestly when I was 14, I decided to be a professional tennis player, since then I was dreaming for these moments,” she said.

“I was dreaming to win a grand slam. But the most important moment was when I won juniors [in 2008].

“I said that if I will win a grand slam in professional tennis, I want it to be the same one. So I’m really happy that I didn’t win Melbourne, actually, [smiling] and [it] happened here.

“It’s special, and I keep it forever in my heart, for sure. It’s my favourite city.

“Well, it’s an amazing moment. It’s a special moment. I was dreaming for this moment since I started to play tennis. I always said if I’m going to win one, I want it to be here. It’s real now.

“Without my family, my friends, all the people that are really special for me in this life, probably I couldn’t come back after losing three finals of grand slams.”

Four years after contesting the first of three losing major deciders, Halep steamed to a 17th career title — and clearly the most significant.

The world No. 1 is the first woman to be denied in as many majors before eventually breaking through since Jana Novotna at Wimbledon in 1998.

Only Kim Clijsters (four) had lost more grand slam deciders before eventually prevailing.

Beaten in French Open playoffs by Maria Sharapova (2014) and Jelena Ostapenko last year, Halep was also denied in January’s Australian Open final by Dane Caroline Wozniacki.

Contesting her 103rd grand slam match since 2010, Halep did it the hard way against inspired Stephens. The American’s sublime movement and easy power had her in control when she led by a set and was serving for a 3-0 buffer in the second set.

Watched by a host of former French Open champions, including Australians Ken Rosewall and Lesley Bowrey, Halep reeled off 12 of the next 13 games.

Halep collected $3.4 million for her victory, while Stephens pocketed $1.8 million.