On seeing the final forehand of Kirsten Flipkens’ career fall into the net, Simona Halep raised her fist, looked to the sky, sighed with relief and blessed herself with the sign of the cross.

Then the 2019 Wimbledon champion turned her thoughts to her friend Flipkens, whose career spanning 16 seasons at Grand Slam level ended in defeat but not despair.

Their emotional embrace at the net (main picture), born of friendship and professional respect, was extended and well received by a crowd who had gathered on No.2 Court to salute the Belgian.

Her final flourish at her favourite tournament is one to remember, resplendent with brilliance and a reminder to all of the calibre of tennis she was capable of when playing at her peak.

It took all Halep had for her to reel in the 2003 girls’ singles champion and 2013 semi-finalist, for Flipkens started both sets brilliantly in her 7-5, 6-4 loss to the Romanian.

With tears flowing, the 36-year-old shaped her hands into a love heart after her embrace with Halep, thanking all sections of the crowd for their support.

She then knelt on No.2 Court and kissed the service line, before leaving her headband on the grass in a tribute to her love affair with Wimbledon.

Her first visit to Wimbledon, to watch her friend Kim Clijsters - who sat courtside on Thursday and shed a tear after the match - inspired a hope that she, too, might play here one day.

Flipkens ended up playing at Wimbledon on 16 occasions, to go with her 38 appearances at the other three Grand Slams, but the All England Lawn Tennis Club was always her favourite stop.

“Wimbledon was on top of my bucket list. It will always be so special for me,” she said.

“To be able to finish my career in singles, against a champion like Simona, on a court like this, in front of a crowd like this, it is a dream.”

Halep, who plays Magdalena Frech for a place in the fourth round, paid tribute to Flipkens.

“Definitely it is not about my match today. It is about her. I am really happy I can play the last match with her,” she said.

“I have learned many things from her. Before this match, I was shaking. She is cutting the rhythm. She is playing amazing. She is a great champion. She never gives up.”

In an eloquent social media post earlier in June, Flipkens celebrated the “hell of a ride” that her career had taken her on and her gratitude for spending her life doing what she wanted.

She vowed to enjoy the last couple of weeks to the fullest and to “slice and dice just a few more times” at the scene of her memorable run to the semi-finals in 2013.

From hitting the deftest off-forehand drop shot in her second service game, to angling touch volleys at the net, to her old-fashioned slice backhand, Flipkens did just that.

Whenever half a window opened to swing at a forehand, Flipkens did so with gusto.

It was a rare occasion that she missed early on and her power forced the No.16 seed on to the back foot.

Bewildered by the early barrage, Halep slumped into her chair when trailing 2-5 and covered her head and face with a towel, seeking composure and some clarity of thought.

Hiding away from the world, just for one change of ends, worked wonders for the former world No.1. Halep regained her patience and found her rhythm.

Flipkens still enjoyed some fine moments. A forehand half-volley drop shot when stretched to full reach was wondrous. So, too, a blazing backhand winner on the run at five-all.

After both stunners she raised her arm to the sky triumphantly, her face beaming in the late afternoon sun. But those moments of pure bliss became rarer as Halep seized the first set.

Flipkens started the second set with similar verve and raced to a 3-0 lead.

But, just as in the first set, the longer the second went, the better the dual-Slam champion performed, in a great display of resilience in a farewell match to celebrate.

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