For a champion who enjoyed the greatest moment of her career at Wimbledon, Simona Halep was due some good fortune at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

The Romanian, who was unfortunately denied a chance to defend the crown she claimed so memorably against Serena Williams in 2019, is intent on making up for lost time this Fortnight.

The 30-year-old extended her winning streak on the hallowed grass to 10 on Saturday with a decisive 6-4, 6-1 triumph over Poland’s Magdalena Frech.

It has been a welcome return to London for the former world No.1, who missed out on a special visit to Wimbledon as the reigning champion when the pandemic caused its cancellation in 2020.

Last year she was thwarted by an injured calf muscle which forced her to withdraw shortly before the Fortnight, to her great regret.

The 2018 Roland-Garros champion is understandably delighted to be back and is looking forward to the challenge of the second week.

“It is always a pleasure to play at Wimbledon and I have great memories, so I am trying to enjoy each day,” she said.

“It helps a lot that I could win this tournament (in the past). I have confidence.

“But every match is difficult and every opponent is tough. (I am) trying to give my best. That is the only thing I can do.”

The quality of her performances in victories over Karolina Muchova, Kirsten Flipkens and now Frech has been superb and reminiscent of her deeds on grass in 2019.

All three rivals possess distinct styles, but Halep has managed to find a solution in all her victories, with the retiring Flipkens posing the biggest challenge so far.

The dual-Slam champion is now being coached by Patrick Mouratoglou, who advised Williams for several years.

The partnership is in its infancy but the signs at Wimbledon are promising, with Halep adjusting to the challenges her opponents and also the tricky, windy conditions have presented.

“It is always difficult to play on grass. Today with the wind, it was not that easy,” she said.

That may have been the case, but the No.16 seed made it look easy enough early on.

Halep started as though she had an early restaurant booking in Wimbledon village when racing to a 4-0 lead in just 15 minutes.

To the credit of the Polish player, competing in just her sixth Grand Slam, she was able to settle and mount a challenge.

The variety the woman ranked No.92 displayed in the latter stages of the first set and in the infancy of the second was pleasing, Frech using a double-handed slice backhand regularly in a bid to upset the rhythm of her rival.

The emotion Halep displayed after breaking serve for a 2-1 lead in the second set was an indication of just how tight the match had become.

She swatted a superb cross-court backhand winner, but its ferocity was surpassed by the power with which she slapped her left thigh as she roared in delight.

The message Halep, who awaits the winner of Petra Kvitova and No.4 seed Paula Badosa, was sending to herself was clear. Keep moving. Stay assertive. Take control of the match. It worked.

From that point on, Halep played superbly, clipping crisp returns regularly while also serving accurately in another convincing Wimbledon performance.

Click here to join myWimbledon for a range of exclusive benefits, including access to tickets and the ability to personalise your digital experience with us.

Following along from home this year? You can still experience the classic Wimbledon atmosphere on the Virtual Hill, presented by our Official Partner American Express.