Believing she’s yet to even peak, Simona Halep hopes she’s opened the grand slam floodgates after stunning the tennis world with her devastating Wimbledon final triumph over Serena Williams.
Casting sentiment and history aside, an inspired Halep humbled Williams 6-2 6-2 with the performance of her life to secure a second career major and deny the American a record-equalling 24th singles slam.
“I have no words to explain, but I feel great,” Halep said.
“I wanted this badly. When I started the tournament, I talked to the people from the locker room that my dream is to become a member here. So today it’s real and I’m really happy.”
In adding tennis’s greatest prize to her 2018 French Open title, the 27-year-old is the first Romanian in history to reign at the All England Club.
“It’s something very special and I will never forget this day. It was my mum’s dream,” Halep said.
“She said when I was 10 that if I want to do something in tennis, I have to play in the final of Wimbledon so the day came.”
And she added her name to the famous honours roll with a sublime display of grasscourt tennis, committing just three unforced errors in 16 games and breaking Williams’ usually deadly serve four times in the 56-minute rout.
Halep’s incredible win was only her second in 11 meetings with Williams.
“I knew that I have to be aggressive, being 100 per cent for every ball, that I don’t have to let her come back to the match because she’s so powerful and so strong,” Halep said.
“She knows how to manage every moment. So I knew that I have to stay there, which I did pretty well today.
“I’m very sure that was the best match of my life.”
After losing her first three grand slam finals, Halep has now won her past two and says it’s no coincidence now she’s playing with a new found freedom.
“I have to admit I believed more that I’m able to win another one. Once you win one, you have the feeling you know how it is,” said the former world No.1 who will rise to No.4 on Monday.
“You treat it a little bit easier, let’s say. It’s never easy, but you treat it a little bit easier.
“Yeah, I was motivated after I won the first one that there is another chance for one more.”
But two still isn’t enough.
“I feel that I’m at the highest level, for sure,” Halep said.
“But I’m feeling also that I can improve some things, not about today’s match but this tournament.
“I feel like I have to improve other things. I will keep working for that.
“I’m still motivated. I’m looking forward already to the next tournaments and next challenges that I have.”