Simona Halep recalled in a televised interview a lesser-known episode from her career, an episode that unfolded alongside her great rival, American Serena Williams, the multiple Grand Slam champion.
At 33 years old, retired from her career, Halep was invited to DigiSport television, as part of the Așii Tenisului show. There, the double Grand Slam champion, at Wimbledon and Roland Garros, talked about the moments that marked her career.
Among other things, she remembered a moment from Miami in 2015. She was playing in the semifinals against Serena, who was then dismayed by the support that the Miami crowd was giving the Romanian. It was practically like a football crowd chanting Romania and Simona Halep continuously, always applauding Halep. The Romanian then dramatically lost the match, with a score of 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, and Serena later won the final against Carla Suarez Navarro.
“I remember the match with Serena, in the semifinals. I lost 5-7 in the deciding set, and I can say that the crowd was on my side throughout the match. At the end, what stayed in my mind and I will never forget is how Serena was dissatisfied and talking to her fans, to the crowd, wondering how it was possible to have such great support in America, in a match against her.
She was totally surprised, puzzled: ‘Why is this happening?’. I have always had support from Romanians and that helped me even in that match,” Simona recounted on the "Așii Tenisului" show on DigiSport.
Simona Halep also reached the semifinals in Miami in 2019, then eliminated by Karolina Pliskova, 5-7, 1-6, never winning this trophy in her career, unlike Indian Wells.
D.A.