“I couldn’t focus and it was tough” Simona Halep gives health update after suffering a mid-match panic attack during the French Open
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Simona Halep
World No. 19 Simona Halep had an unfortunate end to her campaign at the 2022 French Open as she lost to teenager Qinwen Zheng 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 in the second round of the Grand Slam. While defeat in a match is not surprising, it was Halep’s condition during the match that grabbed the attention.
The Romanian had difficulty in breathing and was later found to be having a panic attack. Despite a dominant display in the first set, she could not hold onto it and went down in 3-sets. She was attended to by the medical staff who cleared her to play but the former World No. 1 was taken aback by the experience.
“I was playing well at the start. I had a break in the second set, but then something happened. I just lost it. I didn’t expect it because it was just a panic attack. I didn’t know how to handle it, because I don’t have it often. Yeah, I don’t really know why it happened, because I was leading the match. I was playing well. But just happened, and as I said, I lost it. I couldn’t focus. After the match was pretty tough. But now I’m good. I’m recovered, and I will learn from this episode,” said Halep during her press conference.
“No reason why it happened” Simona Halep on the panic attack
Halep under her new coach Patrick Mouratoglou was looked upon as one of the title favourites given she was a champion in the 2018 French Open. Halep was disappointed but not disheartened as she talked about taking the positives and looking at it as a learning lesson to not overthink and believe in her abilities to avoid panic attacks in future.
“Nothing like dangerous, in my opinion, but it happened. So it’s good that now I can smile. It’s just a tennis match, so I have to see it a little bit more relaxed. Probably put pressure on myself too much, because I really wanted to do well. I felt good. I practice. I work hard. But just didn’t happen, and probably I got a little bit of panic during that thinking, over-thinking. But I was leading, so there is no reason, in particular, why it happened. But it happened.
“So I have to accept it. It’s something normal that everybody has. I will be better next time, for sure. I don’t have these things so it was new for me. I knew that I have just to calm down because the doctors checked everything. Everything was perfect. Not really a reason, just mind. Now I’m super good,” concluded Halep.
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Sarthak Shitole
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