LONDON: Former Wimbledon champion Simona Halep cruised into the fourth round of the Championships on Saturday with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Poland Madeleine Frech.
The 30-year-old Romanian, who returned to All England Club this year for the first time since winning the grass-court major in 2019, came into the game having beaten Frech in his previous two encounters.
Despite a stiff breeze blowing on court two, Halep started aggressively to take a 4-0 lead and although the 92nd-ranked Frech managed to earn a break of serve, it wasn’t enough to prevent his opponent to win first. Position.
Playing her first third-round match at a major, Frech also called off an early break at the start of the second set, but Halep immediately regained the lead and celebrated with a clenched fist and repeated slaps to her thigh.
There was no stopping the 2018 French Open winner as she continued to shower the field with winners and advanced towards the net at every opportunity to leave Frech, who has never beaten a player of the top 20, blocked.
Halep broke Frech’s serve twice more and sealed the contest in 67 minutes with their 24th winner.
“It was a good game,” Halep said on the field. “It’s always difficult to play on the grass. Today, with the wind, it was not so easy.
“It’s always a pleasure to play at Wimbledon and I have great memories, so I just try to enjoy every day.
“It helps a lot that I can win this tournament, I have confidence but every game is tough and every opponent is tough.”
Halep will meet one of the fourth-seeded Spaniards Paula Badosa or twice former champion Petra Kvitova for a place in the quarter-finals.
The 30-year-old Romanian, who returned to All England Club this year for the first time since winning the grass-court major in 2019, came into the game having beaten Frech in his previous two encounters.
Despite a stiff breeze blowing on court two, Halep started aggressively to take a 4-0 lead and although the 92nd-ranked Frech managed to earn a break of serve, it wasn’t enough to prevent his opponent to win first. Position.
Playing her first third-round match at a major, Frech also called off an early break at the start of the second set, but Halep immediately regained the lead and celebrated with a clenched fist and repeated slaps to her thigh.
There was no stopping the 2018 French Open winner as she continued to shower the field with winners and advanced towards the net at every opportunity to leave Frech, who has never beaten a player of the top 20, blocked.
Halep broke Frech’s serve twice more and sealed the contest in 67 minutes with their 24th winner.
“It was a good game,” Halep said on the field. “It’s always difficult to play on the grass. Today, with the wind, it was not so easy.
“It’s always a pleasure to play at Wimbledon and I have great memories, so I just try to enjoy every day.
“It helps a lot that I can win this tournament, I have confidence but every game is tough and every opponent is tough.”
Halep will meet one of the fourth-seeded Spaniards Paula Badosa or twice former champion Petra Kvitova for a place in the quarter-finals.
