Simona Halep could still find the positives despite the heartbreak of losing a third grand slam final

SIMONA Halep is refusing to give up on her grand slam dream despite losing another final. See what the Romanian had to say after her amazing fighting effort against Caroline Wozniacki.

Caroline Wozniacki and Simona Halep played a stunning women’s final. Picture: Getty Images

THERE were tears for Simona Halep, but she can still smile in the face of her Australian Open defeat.

The Romanian has succumbed the world No. 1 ranking and missed out on her third attempt at a grand slam final in an epic 6-7 (2) 6-3 4-6 loss to Dane Caroline Wozniacki.

But the tournament’s marathon woman could still find the positives despite the heartbreak.

“I can still smile. It’s fine. I cried, but now I’m smiling,” she said.

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“Is just a tennis match in the end. But yeah, I’m really sad I couldn’t win it. I was close again.

“She was better. She was fresher. She had actually more energy in the end.”

Halep, who has endured both an ankle injury and two previous marathon matches this tournament, conceded that the tank was simply empty.

Simona Halep chatting to the media after her loss. Picture: AP Photo

“I was really tired. I had so many problems at my feet, pain everywhere,” Halep said.

“But, you know, I think I did pretty well with all the things that were going on.

“After the first set, I just was out. I don’t know what happened. No energy, no power. But then I just said that I have to hit all the balls, and then I could take the second set.

“I came back in the third set, but when I had to serve for 5-3, the gas was gone, so I couldn’t make it. It’s a bit sad.”

She had to call the doctor midway through the second set due to dizziness and a headache, and admitted that Wozniacki’s medical time-out for a knee complaint in the final set may have halted her momentum.

But while she was beaten, she was not defeated and is determined to continue her hunt for a grand slam title.

“I did 100% what I could today,” she said.

“That’s why I can say that I’m not sad for that. I’m sad that I lost the match, I was not the winner. But, you know, life goes on.

Simona Halep went down to Caroline Wozniacki in the Australian Open final. Picture: AAP Images

“For sure in the future, if I keep working like this and I keep playing like this, I will be in a good position again.”

For now, an MRI “on both” ankles awaits, and a long break.

“The feet. It’s swollen, my right one. Both of them are dead. That’s why I need a break,” she said.

“(The ankle) was really bad (throughout the tournament).

“Was, like, hurting every day. In the practice, I couldn’t practice more than 10, 15 minutes. So every day I just played to feel the ball 15 minutes, and that was it.

“I didn’t believe that I can go through all these matches. But I wanted to. Looks like I have enough inside power to fight with everything. So it’s a good thing. This tournament meant a lot for me.”