Exclusive: Simona Halep says ‘I am very close to my best tennis ever’ ahead of Wimbledon 2022 semi-final

The Romanian is into the last four for a third time, with the No. 16 seed also on a 12-match winning run at Wimbledon having won the 2019 edition before missing last year through injury.

Halep is the only Grand Slam champion remaining in the women’s draw, and ahead of her semi-final with No. 17 seed Elena Rybakina, she told Eurosport she is feeling “solid” mentally and physically.

“I feel like the last three years have been 10, so many things happening in my life especially the injury, that was the worst,” Halep said.

“I lost my confidence, I lost the belief I can still be a good player so I struggled a lot but it’s in the past and I am really enjoying the moment as I’m in another semi-final of a Grand Slam.

“I still say the final in 2019 was my best tennis but the way I feel on court, the way I feel match by match, I feel like I am very close to my best tennis ever because I don’t use so much energy.

“I am not using up as much energy and I am more calm, more aggressive, I don’t run crazy like before. I feel more solid physically and mentally.”

Halep put in an impressive display to see off No. 20 seed Amanda Anisimova in the quarter-finals, winning through 6-2 6-4, and she thinks her next opponent could pose a similar challenge.

She added: “It’s a mindset, how I have to play, because I start to play more aggressive and my serve is much better. I have to keep doing this because it’s not easy to change something you have been doing for 15 years so it’s consuming a bit of energy mentally, but I stick to that and feel much better when I do it.

“I can say I play well against them [Rybakina and Anisimova type players]. I have a lot of experience with girls like this because many on tour are hitting really strong – but it is never easy with them.

“You never know what to expect but I’m confident. It is going to be a big challenge for both of us and I feel good, this is the most important thing.

“I control my emotions much better now. I take it day by day.”

Mouratoglou: Halep not thinking she’s the favourite

Meanwhile, Halep’s coach Patrick Mouratoglou opened up about the former world No. 1’s gameplan in matches, but brushed off the favourite tag despite her superior experience heading into the last four.

Mouratoglou said: “It is a good result. We are happy because Roland Garros was a bit difficult, she [Halep] has had two difficult years. We knew she needed to play a lot of matches, we worked really hard before Roland Garros, but I think the level of stress was too much for her to perform. Also, we wanted to clarify her gameplan and she has won a lot of matches which helps her confidence.

“We want to work on being more on top of the rallies, more dictating and being more creative in the game and I think she loves it, she enjoys it and I think that’s obvious. It’s efficient tennis. She was completely open to making those changes although it’s hard when someone has played on the tour for so long with habits.

“We have worked a lot on the serve and the return as the first shot of the rally is very important.

“She is the only one left who has won a Grand Slam, she has been No. 1 in the world so she has experience, but she is not thinking she is the favourite after what she has been through. The mindset will be exactly the same as the one she has had from the start of the tournament.”

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