WTA: Simona Halep wants to fly the flag at the Olympic Games – and wear it

Simona Halep has not only set herself a lot of sporting goals for the upcoming Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo.

Tokyo 2020 could also bring a big decision for tennis: Quite a few observers of the scene finally assume that Roger Federer will at least announce his resignation after the Olympic Games in Japan, and perhaps will do so. The Olympics have always played a major role in Federer’s sporting life, even though success was not expected until 2008 in Beijing – where the maestro won in doubles alongside Stan Wawrinka.

Four years later, Federer carried the Swiss flag to the legendary opening ceremony in London. That’s what Simona Halep has planned for Tokyo.

“I played in London, and that was very nice,” the world number one explained a few days ago in an interview. “It was very emotional and different from what we do every day. Tennis is an individual sport, but when I played at the Olympics, it was completely different.”

Halep had to wait a long time for the win of a Grand Slam title, with the success in Roland Garros 2018 this stone fell from the Romanian’s heart. One of the next goals she has clearly defined. “My main goal in Tokyo, of course, is to win a medal, any medal I want. And I would also like to carry the flag of Romania at the opening ceremony.” Her aha moment, which prompted her to this wish, was the playing of the Romanian anthem in Roland Garros. This was the most beautiful moment in her life.