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Simona Halep: Nobody is going to touch the level Serena Williams touched

By TieBreakNewsPosted on
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Former world No. 1 Simona Halep says Serena Williams is “the best forever” and added that “nobody is going to touch the level that she touched.”

Halep, a two-time Grand Slam champion, clashed Williams 12 times and the American won 10 of those 12 meetings.

But Halep beat Williams in their biggest meeting, having defeated the American 6-2 6-2 in the 2019 Wimbledon final.

ā€œIt was an honor, actually, to play so many matches against her and to share the locker room with her. Sheā€™s done unbelievable things in tennis and is going to be the best forever. Nobodyā€™s going to touch the level that she touched,” Halep said of Williams, per Max Gao.

Halep on how Williams changed tennis

During her prime, Williams was one of the most dominant players in tennis history.

For many years, Williams was a dominant force on the Tour and some players were literally scared of getting destroyed before going out onto the court to play the 23-time Grand Slam champion.

ā€œThe power, the confidence, the way of playing to stay super aggressive, to stay close to the baseline & to make so many winners. The serve, which was untouchable sometimes. Also the desire, the passion to win every ball,” Halep explained.

In 2013, Halep reached the Rome semifinal as a qualifier.

Then Halep’s great Rome ended following a 6-3 6-0 defeat to Williams.

Reflecting on that match, Halep said Williams “killed” her on the court.

ā€œI remember 2013 when I played against her in semis in Rome. She killed me. But that year she didn’t lose a match on clay. So she was the only one who dominated tennis few years in a row. And I think that that’s not going to happen again,” Halep recalled.

Williams is set to retire at this year’s US Open.

It remains to be seen if Halep gets one final chance to play Williams.