Simona Halep's 2021: it will be the year of maturity

Simona Halep overall had a good season in 2020, winning three titles and taking her 500th career victory. Champion of the Dubai Tennis Championships, the Prague Open and the Italian Open, Simona made the semifinal at the Australian Open, gave up playing the US Open due to the critical issues related to the global COVID-19 pandemic and she was sensationally defeated at Roland Garros from eventual champion Iga Swiatek.

Her year was positive, despite everything, despite the fact that she tested positive for Coronavirus. On Twitter she said: "I wanted to let everyone know that I am positive for Covid-19. Now I am in isolation and am recovering from some mild symptoms.

I am fine, we will make it together. anyway a positive season having won in Rome, it will not be a bad game to ruin it. I am happy to have been here in Paris, although I am a bit bored being locked in. It was important in any case to be able to play this tournament. Australian Open? I have heard of the hypothesis of 14 days of quarantine once we land in Australia, but it would not be a problem when the bubble was created. We could play. Now it's still early, then I'll understand how to organize myself."

Simona Halep's 2021: it will be the year of maturity

What to expect now from her 2021? Simona, charged with her considerable mental strength, is now reaching the peak of her mental, physical, technical and tactical maturity. Experience, bitter defeats and sweet victories have given her that dose of experience that many young tennis players, even Grand Slam champions, lack.

Experience that can be fundamental in the most delicate moments of the season. A season that, if all goes well, will be long, including the Olympic tournament. A season that will ask athletes to also understand when it will be time to rest and say no to a tournament.

Programming and experience, combined with the remarkable skills of Halep: a winning mix that can allow the Romanian to approach all the tournaments she wants to play starting as one of the favorites. Where above all? At the Roland Garros and the Australian Open, probably. Despite the competition it will be fierce.

She said in a recent interview: "In 2014, tennis changed my life. I played my first major final at Roland Garros. No Romanian tennis player had ever played a Grand Slam final since 1978. Emotions exploded and everyone had high expectations for my future. They began to think that I could win a Grand Slam title.

I suddenly became popular. People on the street recognized me and asked for photos and autographs. This was a big change, it was difficult to manage but I learned a lot during this time. I tried to enjoy the attention but it was stressful, because it required a lot of energy. I didn't want to lose focus on my career. I tried to find a balance. I have been generous and open to the fans, but at the same time focused on the hard work to do to achieve results on the court."

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3nMLyuR