Halep praises Cahill after victory

TENNIS: Harsh lessons of the past, Darren Cahill’s lingering influence and flawless preparation are the drivers behind Simona Halep’s grand slam rebirth.

The Romanian delivered near-perfection in a 6-2 6-2 whipping of Serena Williams in the Wimbledon final, with just three unforced errors.

But as Halep wiped away tears of joy to acknowledge former coach Cahill, she revealed how the heartbreak of three losses in major finals transformed her career.

“The finals I lost in the past helped me for sure to be different when I faced this moment,” she said.

“It’s never easy to face a grand slam final. You can get intimidated by the moment. You can get nervous, too nervous. I have learnt that it’s a normal match, not thinking that much about the trophy, just going there and try to be the best as you can.”

One of the prime motivations against Williams, when she played the match of her life, was Cahill. The master South Australian coach worked with Halep from 2016-18 before deciding to take this year off.

At Wimbledon in a commentary role for ESPN, Cahill was courtside at Halep’s pre-match practice.

“Of course, Darren is part of this. I talk with him all the time,” Halep, the first Romanian to win Wimbledon, said.

“He came to see my match again today. His heart is with us. Made me a little bit stronger today, honestly, to be able to believe that I have the chance to win. He came to support me and I have no words to thank you and because of you I have learnt how to be a better person on court.” — Leo Schlink