Simona Halep has emerged as the one to fear in the ladies’ singles after cruising into the second week looking every inch a potential repeat champion.

Halep, 30, thrashed Serena Williams in the 2019 final, but Covid followed by a serious calf injury forced her to give up the chance to defend her title. It also resulted in the former world No1 dropping out of the world’s top 10 for the first time in seven years.

Now she is back at SW19 for the first time in three years, convinced she can return to the top of the sport after teaming up with Williams’ former coach Patrick Mouratoglou. 

The Frenchman, who ended a successful 10-year coaching partnership with Williams in April, watched courtside as his Romanian charge booked her place in the fourth round with a 6-4, 6-1 win over in-form Polish opponent Magdalena Frech.

‘I had been struggling with my confidence a little,’ Halep said, ‘but that is normal after last year when I was injured and didn’t win much.

‘But I did not question myself before coming here because I knew if I worked hard and I did what I had to do, it was going to be good.

‘I’m really happy about the first week. I played good tennis and I am looking forward to the second one, trying to do better day by day.

‘I am physically strong and where I have to be. I’m not worried about injuries any more. Tennis will come. If I keep doing every day what I have to do, I’m really confident that it’s going to come [back] at the highest level.’

Halep’s reward is a last-16 clash with fourth seed Paula Badosa, conqueror of two-time former champion Petra Kvitova. That leaves Halep as the only former winner left in the draw. 

Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko, a French Open winner, is the only other player still standing with experience of winning any grand slam event.

Halep added: ‘This tournament, back in 2019, was the best tournament of my career. The matches that I played here were perfect. So I always have those memories and I have always have confidence that my game is pretty good on grass.’