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Simona Halep – A Dream Comes True!

For a deeper analysis of the massive impact the length of the rally has on winning a match, I highly recommend THE FIRST 4 SHOTS. Click HERE for more information about this tennis strategy course, focused on the importance of the start of the rally.

The First 4 Shots – Video

Congratulations Simona & Darren!

Drama! That’s what elevated the 2018 Roland Garros women’s final. Lots of wonderful, awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, tear-jerking, come-from-behind drama. 👋👋

Simona Halep defeated Sloane Stephens 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 to win her first Grand Slam title.

I was fortunate to sit just two seats away from Simona’s coach, Darren Cahill, which gave me a great insight into their player-coach dynamic during and after the match. Amazing scenes on Court Philippe Chatrier!

In my preview of the match, I picked Sloane to win in three sets. The match was going exactly as I thought it would, until Simona relaxed and found her game.

I predicted that the match would be indeed won BETWEEN THE POINTS – and it was!!!! Just, by Simona.

POST-MATCH PRESS CONFERENCE

There are a lot of gems in her answers.

QUESTION. Taking it even further, back on the court you said that when you were a set and a break down in the second set, you thought, it’s gone, I’m just going to enjoy it. Did you really feel that?

SIMONA HALEP: I did, yes. I felt that and I said, It’s not going to happen again, but it’s okay. I have just to play. And then when I started to win games, I said that last year happened to me, the same thing, I was set and a break up and I lost the match. So I said there is a chance to come back and win it.

So I believed in that, and my game was more relaxed. I could make more things on court, and that’s why I could win.

BRAVO SIMONA!!!!

This is amazing stuff. She learned from last year. Losing last year to Ostapenko helped her win this year. Love it. Next question.

QUESTION. Could you take us through the match point and during and after, just that short period of time?

SIMONA HALEP: Well, yeah, I couldn’t breathe very well in the last game at 5-0. And when I lost the game, I said, Okay, I have four more until she gets back. So I have just to take ball by ball, point by point, and taking it. Because last year I was a little bit defensive when I was leading the match, and now I just change it in my mind. I said that I have to hit the balls. I have to move and not thinking about the last game. Just every ball, every point. So I did it well, and I was very strong mentally to finish that.

Here are the key points.

  1. Stay in the present. Ball by ball. Don’t think of the finish line. Don’t dare think of winning.
  2. Play offense. Don’t just push the ball in the court and hope for errors. Put. The. Foot. Down.
  3. Move. Focus on moving and running and playing.
  4. Isn’t it so motivational for Simona to say he was so strong mentally at the finish of the match That’s awesome!

Next…

QUESTION. Can we talk about the point to break for 4-Love in the third set when you did the backhand smash after running down drop shot?

SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, that was really important, and I think maybe the most important ball in the third set. I remember last year — I had last year and this year in my mind all match, when, at 3-3 I think in the third set, she hit the net and the ball was going, like, five meters out and came back to my court. So I remember that. I said, if I did this point, so has to be mine this match. I was confident after that.

Always taking the positives. Focus on what you can control and build. Stay strong!!!

Next…

QUESTION: Can you talk us through a little bit about what changed tactically for you also in the second set? Because up until 2-Love, it felt like she didn’t give you any errors or anything at all and you had to hit through. And after that, it felt like you were working with more height and depth in your shots.

SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, exactly this I did. In the beginning, I started too strong. I started to hit the ball flat. I had nothing in those balls, and she was just playing very high. The ball was bouncing high. I couldn’t make anything from there. And then I said that I have to calm down, just to try to open the court, try to put more balls in. And at one point I felt that she started to feel a little bit tired and to miss more.

So I was patient. I was putting the ball higher and stopped missing. So I think the best thing that I have done these two weeks is that I stopped missing during the match. That’s why I won. Someone told me actually just run and not miss and you’re going to win. So I did today (smiling).

Key points she mentioned.

  1. She started too strong. She was too fired up at the beginning of the match and hitting too hard and flat. She was beating herself.
  2. Calm down, Simona. Just calm down and everything will be fine. Give yourself a chance…
  3. Try and open the court. She did a great job of attacking down the line.  That really helped change the match.
  4. Put more balls in. Match Sloane with consistency first and foremost.
  5. Be patient. It’s a long match. Stay the course…

It was a lot of fun during the final to tweet about what I was seeing, so I want to share those tweets with you and expand on them. This will help give you a real feel for how the match evolved.

TWEET 1

See how coach, Darren Cahill, is leaning over the net as far as he can to shake hands at the end of practice. Confidence. He is instilling confidence and strength to Simona. Love it!

TWEET 2

Amazing seats. Amazing atmosphere. You have got to soak in every moment of a Grand Slam final!

TWEET 3

Not a good sign for Simona. Frustration already showing in the 3rd game of the match.


TWEET 4

Stephens has a real opportunity to run away with the match at this moment. She should have kept attacking. She didn’t.

TWEET 5

Right around here is where Halep started to chill out a little bit. A big reason was that Stephens was playing too much backhand to backhand, just waiting for Halep to hand over the set. It gave Simona oxygen.


TWEET 6

Right around the end of the set, there were already signs of a Halep revival. It was mainly because Sloane was not aggressive enough. Her opponent was down and out. She didn’t play to put her away.


TWEET 7

Coach Cahill getting involved. He absolutely had to! Yelling out support and keeping Simona positive was a big part of this final.

TWEET 8

The plan was justttt starting to form. More balls in the court. Less trying to hit winners and play through Stephens. More about patience, and then go down the line.


TWEET 9

This is where the match really started to turn. It had been coming for a while, but the break of serve was a BIG DEAL!


TWEET 10

I really think Stephens should have attacked more. Too many backhand-to-backhand passive rallies. Every now and then Sloane really “cracked” the ball. I kept wondering why she didn’t do it a lot more…


TWEET 11

Coach Cahill getting involved. Bringing support and energy and motivation and belief. It helped so much!


TWEET 12

Sloane kept hoping more for Unforced Errors. She needed to force them!


TWEET 13

The crowd lost their mind when Simona won the 2nd set. Electric atmosphere!!!!


TWEET 14

Simona finally got ahead in the match. Now that Sloane was behind, she was trying to be more aggressive but had no timing with her big shots. They were simply too big!


TWEET 15

I thought in my pre-match analysis that Simona would get negative. She was soooo positive and determined at this critical point of the match.


TWEET 16

On the verge. Of. History.


TWEET 17

So emotional. Everyone was in tears!


TWEET 18

What a smile. I mean, how happy is Simona Halep right here!


TWEET 19

I congratulated Darren on the huge victory. Great to share a few moments with him.


TWEET 20

You play your entire life for THAT moment.


TWEET 21

I tried to get a good picture of Darren, but he kept his hands on his head for so long. Tears.


TWEET 22

A dream come true…


TWEET 23

It was amazing that Simona immediately came up to the coaches’ box to share this victory with family and friends.


TWEET 24

Proud beyond belief.


THANKS!

Thanks so much for following along with all I do. It’s a dream job.

Cheers from Roland Garros.

Craig