The 2018 French Open winner and world no 7 cruised past Elina Svitolina 6-1, 6-3 on Thursday to book her first Wimbledon final, where she will face Serena Williams.
But the 27-year-old believes that the strength she gained working out on the dunes and in the sea in her native Constanta, on the shores of the Black Sea, can give her the edge on Centre Court on Saturday.
Halep, who also reached the Australian Open final last year and was a beaten semi-finalist at Wimbledon five years ago, insisted: “I have played many matches against Serena.
“Many of them were very close. But I have learned that now, if I face her, I will believe that I have my chance.
“Now I feel stronger mentally facing her. We will see what is going to happen.”
Halep though trails Williams 1-9 in meetings between the two, but she added: “The champions from Romania all come from Constanta. Trust me.
“The air from the beach helped us. We trained a lot on the sand when we are kids. I did many sessions on the sand and in the water.”
Halep has no idea how you play snooker – but she is loopy about former world champion Mark Selby.
After sweeping aside Svitolina, Halep bizarrely revealed that one of only two people she follows on Twitter is Selby.
She met the three times former snooker world champion and current world no 7 Selby when he played in Halep’s native Romania a few times.
Halep, 27, said: “I have no idea how you play snooker. But I appreciate Mark.
“He’s been in Romania a few times. I met him, and I have a snooker ball signed by him. That’s why I follow him.”