Simona Halep had been to three grand slam finals, two of them on the red dirt at Roland Garros. She walked away all three times as the runner-up. That all changed this past Saturday, when she defeated Sloane Stephens in the French Open final for her maiden slam.

For someone who had blinked in the big moments of the past, Halep rose to the occasion this time. After falling behind a set and an early break to Stephens, she composed herself. And on the 10th anniversary of her Junior French Open title, she brought home the first Grand Slam for the country of Romania in 40 years.

To Simona, this accomplishment was just as much Romania’s as it was hers. Her return home with La Coupe Suzanne-Lenglen was a testament to just that.

At the airport, there was a red carpet laid down for her arrival. She took the trophy with her to a celebration in Bucharest National Stadium where thousands of Romanians packed the stands to see their champion chanting, “SI-MO-NA! SI-MO-NA!”. The scale of this event for just one single player was incredible. It has been a long journey for Halep, but you can bet that this made all that heartbreak and those near misses worth it.

“I want to thank Romania for everything it has given me so far. I hope this trophy is the beginning of a new generation of champions. I don’t want to leave this scene, it’s too beautiful. Thank you and my heart is with you” – a very emotional Simona Halep.

Romanian legend Nadia Comaneci flew to Paris the day of the Women’s final to cheer on Simona. Comaneci catalyzed the sport of gymnastics in Romania when she became the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 in the ‘76 Olympics. From her performance, a gymnastic dynasty was born. She believes that Simona can provide that same spark. If that crowd is any indication of what Simona means to Romania, I would say a lot of young Romanians will be picking up a tennis racquet.

Words can’t describe how happy the last 24 hours have been for me. I’ve read so many messages & social media posts that’ve brought tears to my eyes that I can’t thank you enough. Sorry for a few bumps along the way 🤷‍♀️🙄 but we finally got there!☺💪 Lots of love, Simo ❤ pic.twitter.com/Rzvs6fzN1Y

— Simona Halep (@Simona_Halep) June 10, 2018

Seeing someone win their first Grand Slam title is always an amazing scene to watch unfold. Nike summed it up perfectly with a poster in New York. It was truly a moment that Simona Halep will never forget.

When I saw the crowd chanting her name, the first thing that came to mind was lyrics from the Michael Bolton classic, “Go the Distance” from Disney’s Hercules:

“I have often dreamed of a far off place

Where a hero’s welcome would be waiting for me

Where the crowds would cheer, when they see my face

And a voice keeps saying this is where I’m meant to be“

Saturday, on the red dirt of Paris, a Romanian Hero was born.

How many grand slams do you think Halep will win before her career is over? Let us know in the comments below.