‘Happy’ Simona Halep can’t ‘describe the feeling’ of winning her first match after 2 years
Simona Halep took to X to describe how she felt as she registered her first win on the WTA Tour after two years.
Simona Halep (Image via X)
Simona Halep is back on the court. She is in Hong Kong for a WTA 125 event and kick-started her campaign with a three-set win over Arina Rodionova 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. After the match, Halep took to X to express how happy she was to finally win her first match after a long time.
Halep landed in hot water when she tested positive for a banned substance. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) initially banned her for four years, but her appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) helped her reduce it to nine months.
After remaining on the sidelines for months, Halep finally made her comeback in the Miami Open earlier this year but failed to register a win. In the opening match itself, she lost to Paula Badosa in three sets. Then in a WTA 125 event in Paris, when she was up against McCartney Kessler in the opening round, a knee injury forced her to retire from the match. Since then, Halep did not participate in a single tournament until the Hong Kong 125 Open, where she registered her first win after two years.
Words cannot describe the feeling of being out there on court competing – and winning my first match after such a long period – in the sport I love. Thank you for all your support and your love, it means the world to me.
Simona Halep wrote on X
Check her tweet here:
Words cannot describe the feeling of being out there on court competing – and winning my first match after such a long period – in the sport I love. Thank you for all your support and your love, it means the world to me ❤️ pic.twitter.com/s77D8uxiXJ
— Simona Halep (@Simona_Halep) October 2, 2024
Simona Halep admits that she felt pressure during her first-round match
Before Hong Kong, Simona Halep last won a match on August 17, 2022, at the Cincinnati Masters against Anastasia Potapova. As Halep played after a long time, she admitted to feeling tired, which affected her game.
It was a pleasure to play here. It’s the first victory in two years. I feel very tired. I came here because I received a wildcard. I really like it. It’s my first time in the city. I felt a bit of pressure after the first set, so I started to lower my level. I just want to recover, so I can play again tomorrow.
Simona Halep said after the match
She will next face Anna Blinkova on October 3. It will be their first match on the WTA Tour. The Russian outclassed Peangtarn Plipuech in her opening match to set up the clash with the two-time Grand Slam champion.
Gouri Das
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