Simona Halep has turned to Lleyton Hewitt in her quest to burst from the pack and become the new dominant force in women’s tennis with a trend-bucking Wimbledon triumph.
Now that she’s broken the shackles with long overdue grand slam success in Paris, the world No.1 has arrived at The All England Club facing a different, rather novel challenge: going back-to-back.
It’s an increasingly rare feat in a women’s game full of unpredictability and boasting unprecedented depth.
While Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have held a joint mortgage on the men’s majors since mounting extraordinary revivals at last year’s Australian Open, tipping a women’s winner on the sport’s four biggest stages has become somewhat of a lottery.
Seven players have saluted at the past seven slams, including first-time champions Jelena Ostapenko, Sloane Stephens, Caroline Wozniacki and finally Halep at the French Open this month.
With Serena Williams under a fitness cloud after aborting her comeback at Roland Garros with a pec muscle injury, now Petra Kvitova is the bookmakers’ favourite to land a third crown on London’s hallowed grass and extend the wild run of different grand slam winners.
Sought-after Australian coach David Taylor, now guiding 2017 US Open finalist Madison Keys after parting ways with Ostapenko following her French Open flop, believes any number of contenders can win Wimbledon – including his star charge and her fellow American Williams.
“It’s as open as any other one but you’ve obviously got to go with the girls who have had success on the surface – and ones who are playing well right now,” Taylor told AAP.
“So Kvitova leads that. She’s a twice champion and is playing great.”
Halep, though, is top seed, hungry and heartened after a torrid workout with Hewitt on the eve of Friday night’s draw.
The Romanian’s coach Darren Cahill sounded out his fellow South Australian Hewitt – a former pupil he also took to No.1 – for help and the 2002 champion was happy to oblige.
“Thank you soooo much for the practice @lleytonhewitt,” Halep tweeted.
“It’s amazing how well you play and make it look so easy. I was dead at the end.”
Elevated from No.183 in the world to 25th seed, Williams is chasing a seventh Wimbledon crown less than a year after having her first child.
Spanish titleholder Garbine Muguruza also looms as a serious threat.
But Taylor believes Keys, the 10th seed, is primed for a breakthrough.
The former mentor of Samantha Stosur, Alicia Molik, Ostapenko and Japanese prodigy Naomi Osaka has also worked with Martina Hingis and Ana Ivanovic, but rates Keys as talented as any.
“She’s got no big weakness and an ability to win points on her own terms. You couldn’t call her a dark horse,” Taylor said.
“She’s been to the quarters of every grand slam – and that’s a big thing.
“In the last 12 months, she’s made the final of a grand slam, the semi-finals of a grand slam. So that’s ticking all the boxes.”