Simona Halep just won the most important title in her career thus far (“Premier Mandatory”) by winning at Indian Wells in a disputed game against Jelena Jankovic (ceremony, part I, part II). This is the 3rd part, after bye-bye boobs and an aborted attempt to write about Simona Halep in the context of Romanian education.

Taking the risk of stating the obvious, I’ll say Indian Wells WTA was a very hard won victory for Halep, Jankovic fought hard but Halep was simply better - 2-6, 7-5, 6-4, after 2h 38min.

Well, “simply” doesn’t even begin to describe what happened. Simona got angry (mostly at herself), threw her raquet into the ground (I don’t think she’s done that before since acceding to the top). She asked for the coach’s advice in the decisive set, at 2-1 for Jankovic (ds-adv – Google Translation).

Not even Halep’s coach Victor Ionita could escape her recriminations. In the deciding set, 2-1 for Jankovic, Halep asked advice from her coach.

"It's just a game of positioning, there is no right or backhand. It's about who is closer to the line and who dictates the point. That's what I want you to do. Stand with your feet on the line" was Ionita’s advice.

"That’s you want me to do? Cool ... And I want you to encourage me and to shout louder and over there. These guys who are screaming are just her own. It's hard, but well, it's ok .. It's all good" Simona replied nervously.

Ionita ignored her snap and continued on with his advice.

"When it comes to your lob, take a step back if you see that you don’t feel it. Or take it a little faster, or let it rise. Stop getting into it like this. If you do, take it when it is very high up, okay? And go.., legs, legs and believe it," added the coach.

It seems as if she’s not at ease with winning, as if she does not feel loved and supported enough, even though so many have discovered this great sport only because of her and she inspires and makes their lives better.

What still bugs me is the comments made by Novotna not long ago, comments that made me want to ask Novotna something along the lines of Shamrocks and Sheanigans from the same group that brought us Jump Around with “I’ll serve your ass like John McEnroe”:

If I was a Jew then I'd light a menorah (gnd-ctp)
I got rhymes for ya, excuse me senora
Are you a whore or are you a lady?
Is it Erica Boyer or Marcia Brady?

I thought it’s a good intro, St Patrick’s and all - noticed in the beginning Crin Antonescu young?

This incident is also why I took the time to write more about Mrrr and her own perimenopausal scandals. Yes, as we all know, Novotna is best remembered for being a crybaby back in 1993, after Stefi Graf destroyed her. But since neither Halep nor Novotna will likely ever read this article, why not consider and dissect Novotna’s claim with the assumption it’s true?

For a sampling of Simona’s style, consider her appearances in WTA Live All Access: W & S Open, 2014 WTA Finals (all), 2014 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Wilson Live, parents. Here’s Novotna’s last TV interview – when she ended her career in 1999.

What Novotna is talking about in that last ‘wow’ interview linked earlier is style (“stil” in Romanian) – something that older women treasure, especially when it still eludes them, after a life wasted in its dogged yet somewhat misdirected pursuit. She seems oblivious to the fact that her thoughts are forcing Halep on the outside in a moment of psychological fragility; then again, what doesn’t kill you can only make you stronger. (Simona, BTW, if you ever read this, just go here – it’s all you need to remember.)

First, let me tell you my own personal story involving tennis, much shorter than the one with chess.

For a few things I have not mentioned about Serena and for Simona’s win, read on.

Sources / More info: zamoca-tumblr, gnd-ctp, ds-adv