Simona Halep’s former coach tells the story of 2019 Wimbledon final win over Serena Williams

Coach Darren Cahill has declared Simona Halep’s 2019 Wimbledon final performance against Serena Williams the best of the Romanian’s career. After becoming a Grand Slam champion at the 2018 French Open, Halep defeated Williams 6-2 6-2 at Wimbledon the following year to win her second Grand Slam title.

Cahill, who has worked with Halep for six years, credits the Romanian’s performance at the 2018 French Open with giving her confidence that she can do the same at Wimbledon. “So I enjoyed every moment of the years we spent together. She won the Wimbledon final in 2019 and performed really well in the semi-finals and final, which also supported me.

I think the best match she ever had was against Serena (Williams) in the final. She had some difficulties getting to the semi-finals and finals, but once she got there she had a real belief and I don’t think she would have ever reached that if she hadn’t won the Roland Garros final the year before. Level wins Wimbledon.

That’s a credit to her, she’s an amazing young lady,” Cahill said on the Advantage Connors podcast.

Cahill on how Romanians view Halep

When Cahill began working with Halep in 2015, the Romanian was already considered one of the most talented and best players on the tour.

But Halep hopes to take her game to another level, become a Grand Slam champion and reach world number one. “Romania is an amazing lady with a net worth of 20 million and people basically idolize her. She is an icon in this country and feels and feels the pressure from the country to break through and achieve Grand Slam success , becoming the No. 1 player in the world and finding a way to put that aside and achieve that goal.

“I have nothing but respect for her,” Cahill said. Halep, meanwhile, has not competed since the 2022 U.S. Open. Halep received a four-year doping ban last week after an independent tribunal heard her case.