World No.1 Simona Halep has suffered a setback in her preparations for the Australian Open after crashing out of her first match at the Sydney International on Wednesday.
Halep, who was playing her first competitive match since the China Open in September, crashed out 6-4, 6-4, to Australia’s Ashleigh Barty. A player who she had defeated on two previous occasions. The Romanian was broken four times as she hit 22 unforced errors to nine winners.
During both sets, Halep crumbled during the business ends. In the opener, the French Open champion was broken whilst serving 4-5 down. Then in the second set, Halep held a 4-3 advantage before losing four consecutive games to be knocked out of the tournament. Making it the first time she has lost her opening match of a season since 2014.
“I think it was a great match after almost four months since I played one full match, US Open. I think I played a good level of tennis. I had no inspiration in some important points,” Halep said afterwards.
“She played really well. Her slice was great today, so she deserved to win this match.
“But also I was very close to winning. I had so many chances to break her and to take advantage, but I couldn’t. I can feel that I don’t have the rhythm yet.”
The past few months have been a turbulent one for the Romanian, who ended her 2018 season early due to a back injury. Opting instead to have a longer off-season break. Looking ahead to the Australian Open, Halep has openly admitted that she has no expectations at the upcoming grand slam despite being the No.1 seed. Last year she finished runner-up in Melbourne to Caroline Wozniacki. An early loss this time round could put her No.1 ranking in jeopardy.
“I took a longer break because I needed it. Also mentally, also physically.” She said.
“So I have no expectations (in Melbourne). That’s what I always say because I cannot expect myself to be at the highest level in this moment, because I didn’t play matches.
“But tennis is good, so I have just to believe in myself more.”
Halep embarks upon the Australian swing without a main coach following the departure of Darren Cahill. Cahill announced in December that he wanted to take a break in order to spend more time with his family. Halep is yet to replace him, but remains confident that the situation will not have a negative impact on her performance on the tour.
“The situation is that for the next three to four months, I don’t want to take the coach … I go with the flow and I see how it works,” Halep recently told wtatennis.com.
“He (Cahill) took the decision because of family and family always comes first. I wasn’t disappointed or upset, I fully understood. We have a very good relationship.”
As Halep looks ahead to Melbourne, Barty now has a shot of becoming the first Australian woman to win the Sydney title since Alicia Molik in 2005. In the quarter-finals she will play either Elise Mertens or Anett Kontaveit.
“I finally learnt my lesson,” Barty said of her win over Halep.
“She gave me a belting in Montreal. I learnt a little bit more in Cincinnati, but today I knuckled down and really thought about it and really gave myself a chance.
“The biggest thing, I believed that I could I win. We’re both out here on the same court. Just very happy I was able to come out and execute.
“I felt like it was really clean, considering the conditions. It was very swirly down at court level so I figure if I’m going to play ‘Sim’ at any time, it’s her first match and in conditions like this.
“So I was very happy I was able to make the most of it. Yeah, extremely pleased.”
Elsewhere in the tournament, Timea Bacsinszky outlasted Sam Stosur 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, in a marathon encounter. The Swiss player was at one point and set and a break down against Stosur, but rallied back to secure the win.
