Holding Court

Rise and grind mentality key to Halep's Major hopes

In the lead-up to the Oct 21-28 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, Courtney Nguyen will pen columns exclusively for ST. This is the third of an eight-part series

Courtney Nguyen
Simona Halep has gone on to make the French Open final twice in the last four years, each time finding herself a handful of games from her first Major title. PHOTO: AFP
Updated
May 27, 2018, 06:05 AM
Published
May 27, 2018, 05:00 AM
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Simona Halep has done everything anyone could do to win Roland Garros. Except win Roland Garros.

The diminutive Romanian grew up idolising four-time French Open champion Justine Henin, another small-statured player who found a way to unwind the biggest hitters on the terre battue. The last Romanian woman to win Roland Garros, Virginia Ruzici, sat firmly in her corner as a manager and adviser. At 16, Halep became the first Romanian girls' champion at Roland Garros since 1974.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on May 27, 2018, with the headline Rise and grind mentality key to Halep's Major hopes. Subscribe

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