ZCZC
BSP-07
TENNIS-WTA-CHN
Wimbledon champion Halep targets strong finish in Asia
WUHAN, China, Sept 24, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Simona Halep said that winning her
first Wimbledon title this year meant “everything”, but she was determined to
have a better Asian swing than in past years after an emphatic start to her
Wuhan campaign on Tuesday.
Halep suffered opening-round exits in three of her previous five
appearances at the Chinese event — including the last two seasons — but was
dominant in a 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Wimbledon semi-finalist Barbora Strycova
to reach the last 16.
A solid contender for clinching one of the six remaining spots in the WTA
Finals in Shenzhen, sixth-ranked Halep also has a shot at finishing the year
as world number one for a third consecutive time with a strong finish to the
season in Asia.
“Very, very tough goals honestly After winning Wimbledon, I was a little
bit let’s say more relaxed in results, making big results. But I’m still
motivated. I’m working hard,” said the fourth seed, who next faces
Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina for a place in the quarter-finals.
“For this period I just want to be better because every year I promised
myself that I will do the best I can, and I couldn’t for different reasons.
“Now I feel healthy, I feel motivated, I feel fresh. I just want to go
there and win every match I play.”
Halep recently announced she will be reuniting with coach Darren Cahill
from the start of 2020 and the Romanian is convinced they can pick up where
they left off last year when the Australian helped her win a maiden Grand
Slam title at the 2018 French Open.
“I’m really happy and I feel confident that next year I can do some good
things again,” she said.
Halep skipped past Strycova in just 85 minutes on Tuesday, benefiting from
her opponent’s 30 unforced errors.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1249 hrs