Former world No. 1 Simona Halep called Serena Williams “the queen of grass” and revealed that’s why she entered the 2019 Wimbledon final feeling no pressure. Halep and Williams met in the 2019 Wimbledon final, and even though Halep was the underdog, she gave Williams no chance as the claimed a dominant 6-2 6-2 win to lift her first Wimbledon title.
“In 2018, when I lost the Australian Open final, I said the next time I would win. I was super confident even if it was like very hurtful for me to lose that final, I was leading. And then it happened and then in Wimbledon, I didn’t expect that I can play final on the grass surface, because we never had a court back home, grass court.
So, I didn’t expect that I’ll be in the final and playing against Serena. I had like no expectations because I knew she was the queen of grass. She won so many times, so the pressure was not negative, was positive.
I was super focused, it was my perfect day of tennis,” Halep told Alize Lim for Tennis Majors’ show “Major Talk.”
Halep has rewatched the 2019 Wimbledon final many times
“I watched it like 100 times, but I watch it just for like enjoying, not analyzing what I did.
I just love the moment, it was the best by far,” Halep added. “Yeah, the whole match. It was not long. One hour, it’s okay to watch this (laughs)”. Halep lost her first three Grand Slam finals before finally winning her maiden Grand Slam title at the 2018 French Open.
Halep reached the French Open finals in 2014 and 2017 but on both occasions suffered losses in three sets. Halep also reached the 2018 Australian Open but again suffered a three-set defeat in a Grand Slam final. Halep finally captured her first Grand Slam ttile after recovering from a set down in the 2018 French Open final versus Sloane Stephens.
