All eyes on Serena, Halep keeps calm to win Wimbledon

When asked if she had ever played a better match after the win, she did not hesitate a second: "Never."

"Today, I decided before the match that I would focus on myself and on the final of [a] Grand Slam, not on [Williams], "she added later. That's why I was able to play my best, be relaxed and be able to be positive and confident against her.

"I looked at the dashboard and said:" OK, that's 5-2, it's real. "Then, I looked at the dashboard and said:" OK, it's 5-2, it's real. " I just played every ball, I did not think about the score at all. "

It was an almost flawless effort. She seemed collected and calm all along. Even after winning long rallies – and she almost won them all – she never did anything more than shake her fist and lift it close to her face in her own way. But there has never been a smile. His performance and sharpness contrasted strongly with Williams' struggles and passion.

Williams, chasing the story as she searched for Major Title # 24, was still moved shouting "Come on!" after great moments, pretending that she was trying to show off. Sometimes she seemed overwhelmed by the pressure and weight of the record book. But even after her few bright spots, she was never able to gain momentum. Halep had an answer for everything she sent.

Williams had 26 unforced errors, compared to only three for Halep.

"She literally played out of her mind," said a gracious Williams immediately after receiving the finalist trophy, her fourth at the All England Club. "Congratulations, Simona, for me, it was a little deer, when a player plays like that, you just have to take off your hat."

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Simona Halep tells her historic story at Wimbledon and expresses her enthusiasm for playing in front of the Duchess of Cambridge.

Both had magical courses to the finals, each hoping to add another chapter to their well-documented tennis stories. Halep, who was trying to become the first Romanian to win the All England Club, had lost only one set in the final (in the second round against Mihaela Buzărnescu) and achieved his best performance on turf since his half -final in 2014.

Victoria Azarenka, former world number 1, and Cori "Coco" Gauff, a young prodigy of adolescence, have ensured the fast and efficient management of business, with solid victories. Against Elina Svitolina in the semifinal, she took up her duties after a lengthy first match and played for a 6-1 and 6-3 victory.

Williams had survived the "Death Group", which included several other former champions, and held off Alison Riske in three sets, before leading Barbora Strycova, 6-1, 6-2, in the semifinals.

After falling in his last two grand finals, at Wimbledon last year and at the US Open shortly thereafter, Williams seemed to have finally regained momentum after returning from maternity leave and a complicated childbirth. She had been injured for a good part of the season leading up to the tournament, but she was beginning to show a return to the vintage form and claimed that she no longer felt any knee pain or anywhere else.

The crowd was really on her side Saturday, with applause every time she won a point, whether it was difficult or disputed. Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, and Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, have both been seen applauding for her since the Royal Box. With a 9-1 career record against Halep, including three major league games, everything seemed set up for Williams to mark history, buying back his unbalanced defeat against Angelique Kerber in the 2018 campaign and thus winning his eighth title at Wimbledon.

"She literally played out of her mind … it was a bit of a deer in the headlights for me – when a player plays like that, you just have to take off your hat."

Serena Williams

Halep did not have this note. Instead, she remembered her mother's dream when she was a kid playing in the Wimbledon Finals, and she began to believe that she could do just that – and more.

Over the last fifteen days, she joked about the desire to become a lifetime member of the All England Club, one of the many benefits of winning, but it was clear that she had worn the lapel pin. member at his press conference after the victory. distinction really meant something to her.

Once criticized for her mental fragility, the 27-year-old has made considerable efforts to reverse her course. When she lost in the final at the Open de France in 2014 and 2017, questionable doubted her ability to stay focused when it mattered the most. In the league game in 2017, she left a 6-4 lead and 3-0 to Jelena Ostapenko and it seemed that she could not overcome the proverbial bump.

Then she started working with a renowned sports psychologist who helped her to not become negative during times of adversity on the ground. She says she's now exploiting her emotions for good and using her nerves for her benefit.

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New Wimbledon champion Simona Halep explains how her state of mind was the key to winning consecutive sets against Serena Williams.

"The finals I've lost in the past have certainly helped to be different when I'm facing this moment," Halep said. "It's never easy to deal with a grand slam final.You can be intimidated by the moment.You can be nervous, too nervous.

"I learned that it was a normal match, not thinking much about the trophy, but just going out there and trying to be the best possible, so I did that. I've said that every time I play a grand slam final, I'm going to do exactly the same thing, so today, I did it. "