18-time Grand Slam champion Chris Evert has tipped current World No. 1 Simona Halep to break her Major duck by winning the upcoming Australian Open in Melbourne.
Evert, a former World No. 1, feels Halep would be determined to prove her critics wrong by having a strong 2018 especially at the Grand Slams. The Romanian, who blossomed at the WTA tournaments, but failed to deliver results at the Slams in 2017, would want to correct the wrongs she committed last year to become a Grand Slam champion as soon as possible.
And Melbourne, surely is her best chance. With reigning champ Serena Williams deciding against defending her crown, Halep will not have to face the biggest obstacle of her career in Victoria. However, she should still be wary of the likes of Jelena Ostapenko, Petra Kvitova and Elina Svitolina, all of whom have beaten her in the past.
“I say this without a lot of conviction, but I feel like Simona Halep had such a disappointing 2017 in the majors, and I feel she is determined to turn that around. I mean, she had a heartbreaking 2017 in all the majors. I just feel like she’s playing the best tennis right now, playing the most solid tennis. I think she has good training. In the fall, with every interview I see, every time I see her on TV or Twitter, she has a big smile on her face. I think she’s personally in a good frame of mind. She’s liking being No. 1. She’s enjoying that. She’s embracing it. She’s not fearful of it. I say that, again, without 100% conviction, but I’m going to have to pick her as my favorite.”
“As far as the young players, wow. I’m looking down the rankings here. Svitolina, she’s sneaking in there. Ostapenko, definitely she was not a flash in the pan. She’s one to stay. Let me see here.”
