Top seed and 2019 Wimbledon champion Simona Halep cruised past German Laura Siegemund 6-2 6-4 on Margaret Court to reach the quarter final at the Gippsland Trophy in Melbourne.
Halep went up a double break in the first and third games to seal the first set 6-2. Siegemund converted her second break point to open up a 2-0 lead. Halep broke straight back in the third game and saved three break points to hold serve at deuce for 2-2. Halep won the last three games from 3-4 down to win the second set 6-4 with a break in the ninth game after 1 hour and 33 minutes.
“I can say I am happy. A little bit in the second set at the beginning I was with no energy, but then I stayed focused. I knew that she changes the rhythm a lot. She did, many dropshots, but I was ready for it. I feel like I played much better than the first round”, said Halep.
Halep was projected to play against Iga Swiatek, but the 2020 French Open champion was upset by number 9 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4 6-2. The Russian player broke serve four times.
Alexandrova sealed the first set on her fifth set point and never faced a break point in the second set.
Halep has won nine of her last ten matches against Russian rivals, but lost to Alexandrova at the 2019 China Open in Beijing.
Karolina Muchova battled past Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-2 4-6 6-4.
Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi beat Daria Kasatkina 7-5 6-1 Kanepi upset this year’s Abu Dhabi champion Aryna Sabalenka in the second round.
