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2019 Wimbledon champion Simona Halep is all set to defend her title as Grand Slam action returns to London after two years.
Halep's run to her second Major title culminated with a dominant 6-2, 6-2 victory over seven-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams. The Romanian conceded just three unforced errors and wrapped up the final in under an hour, and many believe it was the best performance of her career.
Speaking to Daily Mail after arriving in London for this year's edition of Wimbledon, Simona Halep recalled her emotions from the momentous day in 2019 and claimed that it was the "perfect match" from her.
"I wasn't that nervous, even though I am a nervous person and I was very relaxed that morning," Halep said. "I played the perfect match. I had faced Serena in Singapore, where I played fast and didn't give her the time to settle, so I knew if I did that I had a chance. I felt more excited than nervous and I had my family there. It was the most beautiful day of my life."
Simona Halep's tennis journey has been all about overcoming her inner demons and maintaining a positive attitude through the ups and downs. The Romanian opened up about her struggles in her initial years as a pro, and revealed the exact moment - Rome 2013 - when she started believing in her potential.
"In 2010, I was not very confident in my game, my attitude was too negative and I didn't believe I could get to the top," Halep said. "So I had to have a lot of experiences before I believed I could beat top players. I needed time to get the feeling that I'm good enough. It really changed at Rome in the Italian Open of 2013, where I reached the semifinal and started to believe."
"I feel like I move more securely on the grass, it's not as slippery as it was" - Simona Halep
Simona Halep's 2021 season hasn't been a happy ride so far. After suffering a calf muscle injury in Rome, the Romanian had to withdraw from Roland Garros - an event she won back in 2018.
Halep has spent the last few weeks recovering at her home in Constanta. But now she is fit again, and ready to tackle a surface that was once very difficult for her to play on.
Simona Halep explained how her relationship with grass changed, and how she adjusted her game to lift the trophy at Wimbledon. Improved movement on the "slippery" surface was one of the keys for the Romanian, as was the addition of a slice serve.
"I feel like I move more securely on the grass, it's not as slippery as it was," Halep said. "It is safer to slide and the ball bounces a bit higher, so I have longer to hit it and open the court up."
"Developing the slice serve has helped me a lot and the fact that others don't come to the net that much, the game is not finishing that fast any more," she added. "Before, I was not that comfortable because I didn't feel steady on my feet. I've now had quite good results there and in 2019 it was the best connection."
