PARIS (AP) — Sa wakas, isang ganap na Grand Slam champion si Simona Halep.
Tinuldukan ni Halep ang 0-3 marka sa major tournament nang gapiin si American Sloane Stephens, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, nitong Sabado (Linggo sa Manila) sa French Open championship.
“All the experience from those three finals that I lost ... was a positive thing,” sambit ni Halep. “and gave me a little bit more power to believe.”
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“That’s the most important thing — that I stay there focused,” pahayag ni Halep, nanatili sa No. 1 ranking at kauna-unahang Romanian na nagwagi sa torneo mula ng maging kampeon dito ang kanyang manager na si Virginia Ruzici noong 1978.
“I believed. And I never gave up,” aniya.
Sa nakalipas na dalawang pagkakataon sa Roland Garros — kontra Maria Sharapova noong 2014, at Jelena Ostapenko noong 2017, gayundin kay Caroline Wozniacki sa Australian Open nitong Enero – pawang kabiguan ang natamo ni Halep.
“You have been waiting for this,” pahayag ni Stephens. “So you better put it up in the air and show them what you got today.”
“Her journey has been tough. And she had a heartbreak here last year and in Australia and all the things that have happened to her. I mean, it’s a great story and just a great moment for her,” aniya
