Halep beats nerves to become fearless finalist
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ntal 2017, she contrived to lose the French Open final having been a set and a break up against Jelena Ostapenko. That same year, her coach Darren Cahill quit in frustration at her negative attitude during a defeat by Johanna Konta at the Miami Open. Halep since views this as a turning point.
“I I think a after that moment in Miami with Darren, 2017, I started to change myself, my to fight for every ball no matter matt the result and the score,” Halep said.
She began seeing Andy Murray’s psychologist psychologist, Alexis Castorri, and last year she gained a large measure of redempti redemption by winning the French Open during a run of form that took her he to world No 1. “She tried to make me understand myself and to accept everything I do wrong on court, and a to work on those things, which wh helped me a lot as well,” Ha Halep said. “I started to learn how to keep things simple because I overcomplicated everything in my head. I was thinking too m much. Sometimes I had too many options op how to play and I didn’t pick t the right one.”
She picked picke nearly all the right ones against Ukrainian Svitolina, who was ho hopelessly outgunned in the battle of the Eastern European counterpunc counterpunchers. You would have a better ch chance of getting a freebie out of the Wimbledon shop than you would out of Halep, who ha has the third-lowest unforced unforced-error percentage in the tourn tournament.
Svitolin Svitolina was left with no answers, but plenty of admiration. “I th think she played unbelievable t today,” Svitolina said. “She was mo moving really good, striking the ball p perfectly.”
For Halep’ Halep’s mother, just reaching the final is th the fulfilment of an ambition. “Her dream is to play a final in Wimbledo Wimbledon because everyone is here, the Ro Royal Box,” Halep said. Halep, thoug though, clearly will not be satisfied with a grand day out. Her head-to-head record against Williams is unen unenviable (whose is not?) but, unlike in previous years, Halep’s self-b self-belief is absolute.
“Now, if I face her, I will believe that I have my chance to win against her,” Halep said. “Of course, I respect a l lot what she has done. But now I f feel stronger mentally.”
Desmond. He said that the era of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic had transformed the sport. “It’s elevated tennis to a different level – these guys are sporting icons and it’s very gladiatorial.”