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Halep: Forget Final Setbacks


Simona Halep has no intention of revisiting major final failings before facing Sloane Stephens in Saturday's Roland Garros final.

The top-ranked Romanian has come agonizingly close to capturing her first major crown only to feel the sting of three Grand Slam final defeats.

Watch: Thiem Flies Into First French Open Final

Halep was six points from her first Grand Slam crown holding a 4-3 lead in the decisive set of the Australian Open final in January. Caroline Wozniacki staged a career-defining comeback surging through the last three games edging Halep, 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-4, in a pulsating Australian Open final. 

That came after Jelena Ostapenko fought back from a one-set, 0-3 deficit, roaring through 12 of the final 16 games hitting Halep right off the court, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, in the 2017 Roland Garros final.

So what did Halep learn from those losses? 

Don't look back.

“For sure I will let it go [memories of final defeats], and I will not think about Saturday’s match,” Halep said after crushing Garbine Muguruza in the semifinals. “Of course, like I said, it’s a big opportunity, it’s a big chance, but you never know.

“So I lost three times until now and no one died, so it will be OK. But I will be, I think, more confident, because I have a lot of experience. But in tennis, you never know, so I will stay chill. So it’s going to be a tough one. Of course it’s the final of Grand Slam, so it cannot be easy."

Hall of Famer Andre Agassi, who was coached later in his career by Darren Cahill, now coaching Halep, dropped his first three Grand Slam finals before defeating Goran Ivanisevic in the 1992 Wimbledon final for his first Grand Slam title. Agassi went on to win eight Grand Slams, including completing the career Grand Slam at Roland Garros.

"The truth is until you actually do it, you wonder if you can," Agassi has said of winning a breakthrough Slam.



The top-seeded Halep has dominated Stephens winning their last four meetings in straight sets, including a 6-4, 6-3 sweep in the 2014 Roland Garros fourth round, to take a 5-2 lead in their head-to-head series. 

However, Stephens is a much more confident player these days. The reigning US Open champion has not beaten Halep in five years, but Stephens has been a better big-match player posting a 6-0 finals record.

“I will focus on myself, like I did every match here," Halep said. “And I will try just to be calm during the match and try everything I can. Because it’s a nice opportunity, a big challenge, so I have just to feel happy after the match that I gave everything.”

Photo credit: Mutua Madrid Open Facebook 

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