World No. 1 Simona Halep is chasing a maiden Grand Slam title in Melbourne, especially after the withdrawal of defending champion Serena Williams, the Romanian is confident of breaking her Slam duck at the Australian Open.
Halep, who has been to two Grand Slam finals already, both times at the French Open, losing to Maria Sharapova in 2014 and Jelena Ostapenko last year, has definitely got the game to win a Major title. However, on both the previous occasions, Halep became defensive and began playing conservative tennis when she needed to up the ante during the business end of her title clashes against Sharapova and Ostapenko.
Halep told WTA Insider: “In my opinion, I did a great job last year. It was a tough year, very emotional. I need to recharge the batteries, I need to feel every match, to feel every tournament, not think anymore about the results, because I did last year and it was pretty hard.”
After ending the 2017 season, failing to progress beyond the Group stage of the WTA Finals in Singapore, Halep took a four-week break from the game. She emphasized that she desperately needed the break to recharge her batteries.
She said: “I went out almost every day with my friends. I didn’t think about tennis. I did nothing. I didn’t think about the No.1 ranking.”
“It was a little bit more (attention) in Romania. Now, since I’m No.1, there are many people around, I went to the restaurant and the owners are paying the bills. Everything’s changed, to be honest. Darren (Cahill) went with me to dinner – he stayed like 12 days in Romania – and we never paid. He said I was a cheap date. It was funny.”
Halep also insisted she isn’t perturbed anymore with all the criticism coming her way for being ranked No. 1 in the world without winning a Grand Slam. “I touched it, I saw how it is, and it doesn’t matter anymore. I just want to win matches. We said that this year we have no goals. I have the goal of just being better on court. To try to win every match I play. No more rankings, no more other stuff. Just enjoying.”
“I’m in a place that I have never been,” Halep said. “Also with the happiness. Also with my inside feelings about everything happen this year. I think was my best year so far, and after I had so many difficult moments, I was able to come back stronger. So, yeah, it’s really nice, and for sure I will never forget.”
