ITF

Masters in May with a 6-6 record. He posted a 43-5 match record in the remainder of the season, including a 31-2 return from the start of Wimbledon. Following a shock quarterfinal defeat to the unheralded Marco Cecchinato on the clay of Roland Garros, it was Djokovic's success at SW19, secured courtesy of victory over South Africa's Kevin Anderson, which truly confirmed his restoration to former glories. This was the Belgrade-born right-hander's first triumph at a Grand Slam tournament since beating Great Britain's Andy Murray in the 2016 Roland Garros final, and his first appearance in the decisive clash of a major since the US Open of the same year. Whether age-related or otherwise, the statistics continue to highlight the scale of his resurrection. As the world No. 21 at Wimbledon, Djokovic was the lowest-ranked Grand Slam winner since Gaston Gaudio, who was ranked No. 44, in Paris in 2004. He is also the first ever male player to be ranked outside the Top 20 and finish the same season as world No. 1. Quite a comeback, quite a year. After overcoming Kerber and Muguruza, the pressure weighed on the world No. 1 as she faced Stephens, who had won on the home soil of the US Open the previous September. After losing the first set, Halep responded superbly to prevail 36 64 61. Perhaps that victory encapsulates Halep's fighting spirit, which was also on show during two other title wins in 2018 in Shenzhen and Montreal. Only five-time titlist Petra Kvitova won more, while no other Grand Slam winner appeared in more than one major final. A herniated disk in her back ended Halep's season prematurely and denied her the chance to contest the WTA Finals having won the Race to Singapore. Nevertheless, the Constanta-born right-hander ended her year with a 46-11 win-loss record and a commanding lead at the top of the world rankings. Halep is the third Romanian player to be acknowledged as ITF World Champion. Florin Mergea and Horia Tecau were boys' junior doubles champions in 2002, while the latter received the men's doubles award in 2015. ITFWorld // WINTER 2018 07 SIMONA HALEP "To be recognised in this way is really special" S I M O N A H A L E P It has been a long and winding road for Simona Halep, but after a year in which she hauled herself over the line to clinch the maiden Grand Slam title of her career, the Romanian is ITF Women's World Champion for 2018. "It's a great honour to be named as ITF World Champion for the first time," said Halep. "I had an incredible year, winning my first Grand Slam at Roland Garros and finishing the year as world No.1. "To be recognised in this way is really special and provides extra motivation to keep working." For the second year running, the 27-year-old concluded her campaign at the top of the world rankings, although such a feat will have resonated more this time around following her triumph on the clay of Roland Garros in June. Arguments can be made for success in a major women's singles final being the natural progression for a career seemingly on an upward trajectory, although it can also be said that until silverware is actually grasped there are no guarantees. An illuminating run to the Australian Open final in January 2018, which culminated in defeat to first-time Grand Slam winner Caroline Wozniacki, failed to settle that particular debate either way. However, defeat in Melbourne meant that Flavia Pennetta, Angelique Kerber, Jelena Ostapenko, Garbine Muguruza, Sloane Stephens and Wozniacki had all claimed their first Grand Slam singles title since Halep's initial shot at glory back in 2014. In addition to succumbing to Wozniacki at the Australian Open, Halep had fallen foul of youthful exuberance as she slipped to defeat against Ostapenko at Roland Garros in 2017, while her first final loss, also in Paris, was to Maria Sharapova. But despite a third successive setback in the decisive match of a Grand Slam, her glorious moment would arrive in the French capital only months later. ➝

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