There's No Stopping Fabulous Simona

By winning the girl’s singles title at Roland Garros in 2008, Simona Halep announced herself as a bright prospect of her generation. However, after a few years on the tour, the Romanian was yet to get her big breakthrough. A disastrous start to the season must have rang a bell though, as Simona turned it around almost overnight, going from someone ranked outside the top 50, to making her top 20 debut when she peaked at No.19 on Monday this week. 

A relatively late bloomer, Simona has been one of the hottest players of the summer having won her first four career titles in no more than three months. Since her dream run in Rome, where she came through qualies to beat Kuznetsova, Aga Radwanska and Jelena Jankovic to make her first Premier semifinal, the Romanian has found success on all surfaces, establishing herself as one of the finest all-rounders. She bagged two trophies on clay, Nürnberg and Budapest, one on grass, s'Hertogenbosch, as well as one on hard just last weekend.

After reaching the quarterfinals in Cincinnati where she succumbed to a flawless Serena Williams, Simona scored the biggest triumph of her career by claiming the title in New Haven. During an excellent week, Halep beat four-time titlist, Dane Caroline Wozniacki, in the semis, before disposing of defending champion, Czech Petra Kvitova, 6-2,6-2 in the final.

I think it is really strange how a few good matches can make such an enormous difference, but since that week in Rome, Halep seems a completely changed player. She is utterly aggressive, while still putting forth her sensational defense game, a lethal combinational for most of the world’s best. Victories over the likes of Radwanska, Jankovic, Stosur, Bartoli, Wozniacki, or Kvitova, attest the fact that the Romanian has found the golden recipe. 

For me the biggest transformation as far as Halep is concerned is her newly found mental strength. In the past, she would get a bit tight in key moments, play too safe, not take chances, ultimately allowing her opponent to dictate the play. This attitude would eventually cost her the match. Since Rome she is more composed out there on the court. She doesn't lose her head anymore, takes her chances and remains determined not to give in even when her opponent is raising her level. A good example was the match against Stosur in Cincinnati. Fresh off her triumph in Carlsbad, the Aussie produced a solid display to level at one set apiece. However, Simona kept her cool, and won the contest. Compared to another Romanian on the rise, Sorana Cirstea, Simona does not have an outstanding weapon. She does have consistency on her side though, and this helps her achieve such incredible results.

With only four losses in her last 35 matches, Halep is now setting her sights on the US Open, where she is seeded for the first time. Provided her body lasts, she could be in for a deep run into the last major of the season.

Nürnberg: Simona won her maiden WTA crown defeating home favourite Andrea Petkovic in the final.

s'Hertogenbosch: One week later, the Romanian found success on grass, overcoming soon-to-be Wimbledon semifinalist, Kristen Flipkens, to continue the winning run.

Budapest: After a tough loss to Na Li at Wimbledon, Simona regrouped by winning the title in the Hungarian capital. In the final she disposed of Austrian Yvonne Meusburger.

New Haven: Following victories over tricky opponents, Ekaterina Makarova and Carla Suarez-Navarro, Halep took out the Yale queen, four-time titlist, Dane Caroline Wozniacki in the semis.

New Haven: Simona was untouchable in the final against defending champion, Petra Kvitova, stunning the Czech 6-2,6-2 to claim her fourth title in no more than three months.

photos: GETTY IMAGES