Simona Halep is one of the brightest players on tour. Over the years, the former World No. 1 has given the tennis community some of the best matches to cherish for a lifetime. In 2018, she lived the biggest moment of her tennis career by winning her maiden Grand Slam at Roland Garros.

Seeing her performance, one might have thought that the win came easy for her. However, not many know the struggle she went through to win her maiden Grand Slam title.

In the past, Halep has often referred to her win over Serena Williams in the 2019 Wimbledon final as the best match of her career to date. However, recently, in an interview, she recalled one of her most upsetting matches.

The match that sent Simona Halep into depression

Walking down memory lane, Halep had an unpleasant start to her 2017 season. However, the picture took an upside-down turn just after the Miami Open when Halep entered the clay season. She started her red-court season by reaching the semifinals. It was followed by a title win in Madrid and being a runner-up in Rome.

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A similar sight was seen at the French Open. Being the most dominant clay player at that time, Halep was one of the top contenders for the French title. Not forgetting, she did live up to everyone’s expectations. Being in devastating form, she crushed her opponents with complete ease to reach the finals. However, it was the final that broke the 3rd seeded Halep into bits.

Recalling the match, Halep said, “The final in 2017 in French Open, it hurt me a huge amount. I was depressed for three months because I lost. I was 3-0 up and I lost to Ostapenko. So, it was really painful.”

The path to overcoming the dark phase

The loss was undoubtedly a huge shock for Halep. However, having a champion-like attitude, the Romanian composed herself back in the most powerful way, regaining the confidence to get back on track. “Slowly I started to rebuild my confidence. I started to rebuild this feeling that it was going to happen one day because you lose everything after a match like that,” Halep said, recalling the phase.

Walking in the right direction may take a while to reach the destination. However, it sure helps you reach the correct destination. The same was the case with Halep. Walking on the right track, she was once again in the finals of a Grand Slam. This time the 2018 Australian Open.

Even though she suffered a similar sight in this final as well, it was much different for her mentally this time. Unlike the previous French Open, Halep didn’t go into depression. Instead, she took it as a learning. The result? Simona Halep beat Sloane Stephens to win the 2018 Roland Garros.

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“Being in the final again at the Australian Open and leading also in the third set gave me confidence. So, I learned that I have to stay there, to keep working, and to believe because it’s going to come. I thought clay court was going to be my first one. So it was.”

Flash forward to 2022, Halep is currently playing the 2022 Madrid Open. Winning the first two rounds with ease, she is now in the third round, ready to face the young American sensation Coco Gauff.