If Simona Halep, the 2019 Wimbledon ladies’ champion, were to leave professional tennis tomorrow, she’d be extremely satisfied with the many milestones she's amassed.

Boasting two Grand Slam singles trophies – the 2018 Roland-Garros title preceding her Wimbledon triumph – among 23 career titles in total, Halep, who currently sits at No.18 in the WTA rankings also reigned for a long period at world No.1.

But as the smiling 30-year-old was quick to tell media ahead of her tenth main draw campaign at The Championships, there is still much to achieve in her career.

“I don’t want to stop,” she said. “I’m not thinking about that. I feel like I can improve more. I can be a better person, a better player on court, so I'm looking forward to doing that.”

The desire is especially strong at Wimbledon after Halep’s absence for the past two years.

While the grass court Grand Slam was cancelled amid the pandemic in 2020, a calf injury prevented her return as the defending champion last year.

“I feel happy to be back because I didn't play since 2019, so it's pretty exciting,” she said.

The Romanian takes positive signs into her long-awaited comeback, after semi-final runs at lead-in grass court tournaments in Birmingham and Bad Homburg.

And while a neck injury forced her withdrawal ahead of the latter semi-final, she’s fully prepared to compete at Wimbledon this week.

“I feel good. I feel better … I feel confident. I had good matches last week on grass. But on grass you never know,” she said.

“I'm just looking forward for every day I practise here to get in shape, to get the feeling of the court. Now I have a connection with the court because in 2019 I played really well, so I have great memories.”

There are more memories to be made following the challenges Halep has faced in recent times. With her 2021 season undermined by injury, she struggled for a period to find joy in tennis.

A new coaching partnership with Patrick Mouratoglou, the high-profile coach who previously guided Serena Williams, has helped.

“I was pretty down. I was exhausted. I didn't believe that I can be in the top again. So I felt really down,” Halep described emotions she was experiencing earlier this season.

“But then I went to [Patrick’s] academy without thinking that I might work with him because he was with Serena, so was really impossible to think about that.

“But the vibe of the academy, all the kids from there that were at 8am on the court, like working hard. That desire to be one day a champion got me back, got the fire back that I still can play tennis, and I still love it.

“That's why I'm here today, because of that vibe, because of going to the academy, because of meeting Patrick, who told me that he really believes I can go back.”

It’s a belief that remains strong despite Halep’s surprise second round loss to world No.74 Zheng Qinwen at Roland-Garros, where the former champion admitted she suffered a panic attack.

“It was coming from nowhere because I was leading the match. Probably just the pressure of the tournament, the fact that I struggled last year. I didn't believe that I'm strong enough probably,” Halep said.

“But now I feel stronger and I feel that if it's going to happen again, I will know how to handle it … I just take it as an experience and as a lesson so next time I'll be better.”

Halep needs all her experience ahead of a tough first round assignment against Karolina Muchova, a quarter-finalist at Wimbledon in 2019 and 2021.

“I know that she's playing very well. I know her very well. It's going to be a big challenge,” said Halep, who is yet to face the 25-year-old Czech in a professional match.

“I have nothing to lose. This year I said that I will give myself time to improve as much as possible in what I have to. Last year was the most difficult year.

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