Wimbledon 2017: Simona Halep insists she'd rather win title than be distracted by World No 1 ranking battle

London: Simona Halep insists she doesn’t care about her battle to clinch the World No 1 ranking because she would rather win Wimbledon.

With current No 1 Angelique Kerber losing to Garbine Muguruza in the last 16 on Monday and second ranked Halep defeating Victoria Azarenka, the Romanian is within touching distance of taking over at the top.

If the two-time French Open runner-up beats Britain’s Johanna Konta in the last eight on Tuesday, she is guaranteed to become No 1 for the first time.

A defeat against Konta would allow Czech Karolina Pliskova, who lost in the second round, to take pole position instead.

But Halep isn’t going to let herself be distracted by thoughts of moving into first place because she would rather win a maiden Grand Slam title at the All England Club.

“I want to win more, not just one match. So I’m not thinking about that,” Halep said after her 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 win against Azarenka.

“I’m going to need one match. We will see tomorrow. It’s not an easy one.”

Halep has already squandered one chance to dethrone Kerber recently when she blew a strong position to lose the French Open final against Jelena Ostapenko.

A victory in Paris would have taken Kerber to the top and she has learnt from that experience.

“I’m not thinking about the ranking because I was in that situation one more time,” she said.

“So I feel that I have more experience and I hope I will not think that much during the match. I just want to go there and to win it.”

Having fallen short in two Grand Slam finals and two other major semi-finals, Halep has developed a reputation as a big game choker.

But the former Wimbledon semi-finalist believes her game is much more formidable now than it was during her last run in south-west three years ago.

“I’m stronger, also mentally and my game. I feel that I play much better than previous years,” she said.

“I feel confident. I feel that I have a chance always when I go on court. I really believe in myself that I can win every match I play.

“I think that’s the most important thing in my inside, like in my mind.”