Halep reflects on the end of an era, Svitolina rejuvenated by Olympic bronze

Simona Halep's incredible seven-year stint in the Top 10 came to an end on Monday. With Roland Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova's Top 10 debut pushed the Romanian outside the Top 10 for the first time since January 2014, ending a remarkable streak of 373 consecutive weeks in the Top 10. 

Playing in era of unprecedented parity, Halep's Top 10 run, which began on Jan. 27, 2014, is the eighth-best in WTA history. Only Martina Navratilova (1,000 consecutive weeks), Chris Evert (746), Stefanie Graf (625), Gabriela Sabatini (508), Pam Shriver (458), Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (429) and Hana Mandlikova (421) own longer streaks. 

"Now that I have time to think and I have time to see what I did, it's huge," Halep told reporters at Media Day ahead of the National Bank Open in Montreal, Canada, where she is set to play her first tournament in three months. The two-time Montreal champion has been sidelined with a calf tear since May. 

"I'm really proud that I was able to stay so long in the Top 10. Unfortunately, the injury got me out. I can say that because I wasn't able to play for three months so I didn't have the chance to give my best to stay in the Top 10. 

"But I'm not sad, I'm not upset, I'm not disappointed. I just take it as a new challenge."

Since making her Top 10 debut at 22, Halep went on to capture two Slams at 2018 Roland Garros and 2019 Wimbledon and was ranked either No.1 or No.2 in each of the last eight seasons. She finished as the year-end No.1 in back-to-back seasons in 2017 and 2018. 

At a time when parity has made consistent results a challenge, no one knows better than Halep's colleagues how monumental a feat her streak was.

"It's very tough to be a Top 10 player because you have to show every year a great performance," Elina Svitolina said. "She did it for many years and that really shows how good of a champion she is and how consistent she is. Everyone is striving to be consistent and she showed that for many years and that's an unbelievable achievement. 

"She was all the time for me one of the most consistent players on tour and when I was coming up, I was looking to do the same because maybe our game styles are a bit similar. I saw there were different players with different game styles but she is right there, so I can also do that. I've been doing not too bad for a couple of years. 

"Consistency is the key in tennis because we play so many weeks in the year. To be consistently every year in the Top 10 that definitely takes a lot. That's a big achievement."

Now ranked No.13, Halep has her sights set on a new challenge. 

"It is going to be my new challenge for the next period to come back to the Top 10. I don't feel that pressure anymore. Every week it was a pressure during these years because I knew I had to perform at my maximum to stay there. 

"Now it's different. I'm more relaxed and I'm more worried about my body I just want to recover fully and see how good I can be in the future. Doesn't matter the rankings now. I just want to play my best tennis and reach my highest level, the level I had before. Maybe the new goal is to get back in the Top 10."

For now, Halep is taking it one step at a time. Montreal will be her first tournament since Rome and her calf injury has already ruled her out of Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the Olympics. Though she feels at home in Montreal and is excited to be back, the 29-year-old star says she is keeping her expectations low as she works towards finding her level. 

I'm really happy to be here and I'm looking forward to my first match," Halep said. "It feels weird, it feels different, and it's a new experience for me."

"It felt like I stayed away for two years honestly because to get the rhythm back of official practice sets with the players, it was really tough in the beginning," Halep said. "But I had a few days already and I'm getting better. 

"But still, I'm far from my level. I don't expect anything big at this tournament and in this period because it was the first time I stayed so long away with an injury and it was so difficult because I was so scared it would happen again."

World No.5 Svitolina comes into Montreal on a different wavelength. A champion in Toronto in 2017, Svitolina says winning Olympic bronze in Tokyo after a whirlwind two months has set her back on track. 

"For sure, physically I was really tired after Tokyo but I had a few days off and that really helped me to recover and really enjoy this win," Svitolina said. "Right now I feel much better. 

"I feel mentally much better. Before the Olympics, it had been a couple of really tough tournaments for me. Early exits at Wimbledon and playing not as good as I wanted at Roland Garros, so it was really tough for me. 

"Coming back strong at the Olympics, playing some great tennis, good tennis, even when I was down. Winning that medal really inspired me to play until the very last point and to fight for what I want. I'm now more happy and really in a good mood for the U.S. Swing."

Halep will open her Montreal campaign against either Jil Teichmann or San Jose champion Danielle Collins. 

Svitolina will open against either Johanna Konta or Zhang Shuai.