Paris (AFP)

This is the goal of a special season.

Simona Halep, strong from a long preparation on clay, her favorite surface, arrives at Roland Garros with full confidence and without pressure, not disturbed by her status as favorite of the Parisian Grand Slam.

"It's good to be back in Paris. I love this tournament. I love this place."

Visibly relaxed Thursday by videoconference, the Romanian is not yet having her best reunion with the City of Light, hit by the Covid-19 pandemic which led the organizers to exceptionally postpone the tournament in early autumn.

Painful PCR tests, ban on exit?

There is more to it.

"It's a little too cold, to be honest," smiled the winner of the 2018 edition, who hopes "to get used to the weather conditions" if they do not improve during the fortnight.

Aside from that, it's great sunshine for the world No. 2, who ideally completed her preparation for Roland Garros by winning the Rome tournament on Monday, stretching to fourteen her streak of consecutive victories started before confinement, in February. .

In the Italian capital, Halep reminded the "world before" why clay was her favorite: a single set conceded, a solid game and great mobility, and the key to a title she had coveted for several years, after two finals lost in 2017 and 2018. "I could not hope for better preparation to go to Paris," she admitted in the process.

Beaten - by abandonment - in the final, the Czech Karolina Pliskova could only approve: in Paris, "Halep will be the big favorite".

- Dead end on America -

Before Rome, Halep had already won the tournament in Prague, also on clay.

Everything but a coincidence: she took advantage of the interruption of the circuit to treat her foot injury and strengthen her physical condition, before skipping the American tour and focusing on ocher.

"I played about five, six months on clay, that's a lot," she said Thursday.

What to come close to indigestion?

Not really.

"I love playing on clay. This is where I feel the best."

Even more highlighted by the absence in Paris of the defending champion and world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty and the last two winners of the US Open, Naomi Osaka (No. 3) and Bianca Andreescu (No. 7), the player does not fall into the trap, however.

"I'm honored to hear that I'm the favorite, that people think so. But I don't see it that way," she dodged.

- Cahill back -

"Of course, every time I come here I want to play the best I can and get to the end," Halep said without false modesty.

"But we know every game is a close battle. Right now I'm not thinking about the title. I just think about giving my best every time I step on the court."

It's still hard not to bet on her when we know that she has found her favorite trainer, Darren Cahill, who advised her during the 2018 title, and that she has been undefeated since January 30 and a defeat in the semi -final of the Australian Open against Garbiñe Muguruza.

Two years after his first Grand Slam title, a year after his second crown at Wimbledon, the planets seem perfectly aligned for a third coronation.

© 2020 AFP