Journalist Cristian Tudor Popescu offered an exclusive comment for GSP.ro, reacting to the latest events related to Simona Halep.
Cristian Tudor Popescu. PHOTO Archive
The former world leader returned to the clay at the Trophée Clarins, but the match ended with another injury, this time to her knee. Popescu expressed his displeasure with the physical level of the 32-year-old player and discussed Roland Garros' wild-card policy and Simona's untimely split with coach Carlos Martinez.
“I was unpleasantly surprised, because I imagined that Simona trained during the period in which she was suspended. I imagined that he would maintain his general physical condition, i.e. endurance over time and joints, muscles,” Cristian Tudor Popescu declared for gsp.ro. He added that while Halep continued to maintain her hitting quality, her physical frailty became apparent, with shoulder and joint injuries affecting her performance.
Simona Halep at Ronald Garros, 2022. PHOTO Archive
The journalist expressed his disappointment with the way Simona managed her suspension, suggesting that physical training had been neglected. This is a sad conclusion for sports fans, who were waiting for a triumphant return to the field.
Simona Halep's troubled return to the circuit raises serious questions about her future in performance tennis as continued injuries threaten to limit her participation in major competitions.
“Simona hits as we know her. She still has the lapel, it's very good, it's her parade shot. He hits with his right hand well too… On the other hand, this is the second match in which his “carcass” fails, his muscles, his shoulder, his joints fail. This surprises me. I can only conclude that she didn't train as physically as I thought. This is the situation“, stated Cristian Tudor Popescu.
“Hold on for a set and a half, then give way”
“And in this match, from Trophée Clarins, she did not play badly. That opponent, #123 in the world, was not just anyone! He played well. And Simona coped, but it happened like in the match with Badosa, from Miami. That's about how long it lasts, a set and a half, after which it gives way. That's where the shoulder gave out… Now the knee gave out. At the moment, it is in a very difficult state to solve. Why? Because she needs to play tournaments now, on points. He has nothing to do with training. It's not enough, he has to play for points. But if he plays points faster than he needs to after this knee injury, he's a vulnerable point“, the journalist thinks.
