PARIS — One of the quirks and delights of the Grand Slam tournaments is that the historical tennis figures are often still here on site, playing in the senior events, watching from the stands or the commentary booths, hobnobbing in the hallways and presidents’ boxes.

So on Thursday, it was convenient and unremarkable that when Simona Halep became the first Romanian woman since Virginia Ruzici to reach a Grand Slam singles final, Ruzici herself was soon giving interviews in the players’ lounge.

Ruzici, still lithe at age 59, won the French Open in 1978 and reached the final again in 1980, losing in a hurry to Chris Evert. Long a television analyst, Ruzici is now Halep’s manager, having first seen her when Halep was 14 and having first believed in her ability to make a big professional impact after watching her win the French Open junior title at age 16 in 2008.

“She’s so fluid; you don’t see her coming,” Ruzici said.

But there is nothing stealthy about Halep reaching Saturday’s French Open final against Maria Sharapova. Her rise has been quick and steady in the last two seasons. She was No. 47 at the end of 2012, No. 11 at the end of 2013 and will be No. 3, behind Serena Williams and Li Na, in the rankings Monday.