Halep’s win was a popular one
THIRD TIME LUCKY IN PARIS FOR ROMANIAN World No 1 comes from a set down to finally get that French Open crown.
Simona Halep’s comeback to win her long-awaited first Grand Slam title at the French Open on Saturday was one of the most popular victories in recent memory.
The world No 1 had lost all three of her previous finals on the biggest stage, but showed incredible resolve to beat Sloane Stephens to complete her journey from 2008 Roland Garros junior champion to lifting the main trophy 10 years later.
The 26-year-old said before the final she “would be okay” if she lost again, as “no-one has died”.
That humble attitude has endeared her to the French crowds, and the spectators on Court Philippe Chatrier were firmly behind her on Saturday.
“The positive vibes was amazing and I took it just for me,” she said. “I felt that everyone is for me and I felt stronger on court.”
She is the second Romanian woman to win a major – the other was Virginia Ruzici who claimed the 1978 French Open. And Halep’s army of fans could be heard chanting “Simona, Simona, Simona” two hours after the match.
Already a winner of 16 WTA titles before arriving in Paris, Halep had undoubtedly been one of the world’s best players for the last few years and several of her fellow pros were quick to congratulate her latest achievement.
“For all the haters who said she’ll never win a Slam because she’s mentally weak, go choke on that,” tweeted Germany’s Andrea Petkovic.
Halep had suffered three agonising defeats when one set from glory at the majors, with last year’s loss in Paris after leading Jelena Ostapenko by a set and 3-0 perhaps the most painful.
Her third came this year to another perennial underachiever Caroline Wozniacki in a marathon match in sweltering conditions at Melbourne Park.
But she used those memories to her advantage: “I said that last year (it) happened to me, same thing, I was set and a break up and I lost the match. So I said there is a chance to come back and win it.”
Halep first became world number one in August last year and has now spent 31 weeks in total at the top of the rankings.
Her triumph over Stephens made her the first player to win her first Grand Slam title while the world number one.
Already a massive star in her home country she will now go down in its sporting folklore. – AFP