The former world No 1 is returning to Wimbledon for the first time since her 2019 triumph and is ready to compete at the top again
In a sport filled with so much uncertainty, where anyone can beat anyone else on any given day, for so long Simona Halep was one of the few pillars of consistency at the top of women’s tennis. She landed inside the top 10 aged 22 in 2014 and for seven and a half years she stayed. During those seasons, Halep built a hall-of-fame career: two grand slam titles; 23 WTA titles overall; 64 weeks at world No 1.
Despite her early timidity and doubt, Halep was always present. She was always brave enough to front up to the next challenge and give her all, even in the knowledge that it could mean falling.