On a more qualitative basis, Halep’s journey demonstrated a nuanced principle once uttered by Billie Jean King: persistence is a talent. She lost the first three Grand Slam finals she played—2014 Roland Garros to Maria Sharapova, 2017 Roland Garros to Jelena Ostapenko, 2018 Australian Open to Caroline Wozniacki. Each went three sets. Every time, Halep fought valiantly, but was unable to bring her best when it mattered most.
None of those defeats was more frustrating than Halep’s loss to Ostapenko. Heavily favored versus the 47th-ranked Latvian, Halep won the first set 6-4 and led 3-0 in the second. Even after Ostapenko had levelled the match, Halep took a 3-1 lead in the decider. But it was not to be.
I was in the media room in Paris that day, and it was impossible not to empathize with Halep. The prior loss to Sharapova had been a great effort versus an experienced veteran. But this second defeat had a whole other flavor.
“This one hurts a lot maybe because I am more—I realize more what is happening,” she said. “Three years ago was something new, so now I know. Hurts a lot, and I need time just to—I don’t know. To go away.”
