Second seed Simona Halep dropped just four games en route to booking a place in the second week of the Australian Open.
The world No.2 required 79 minutes to dismiss Veronika Kudermetova 6-1, 6-3, on the Rod Laver Arena. A player who entered the Grand Slam at a career ranking high of 36. However, Kudermetova proved to be no threat for Halep who fired four aces and 21 winners.
“It’s always tough to play somebody for the first time,” said Halep. “I knew that she’s been hitting very strong and a threat. So I had to be strong in my legs as well.”
Serving was the key aspect to Halep’s latest win at Melbourne Park on Friday with her opponent struggling throughout. At one stage the Romanian broke Kudermetova in six out of her seven service games to seal victory. Although it wasn’t completely one-way traffic for her as she was also broken twice during the second set.
“The serve helped me a lot today,” She stated. “I’ve improved my serve a lot and worked pretty hard during the off-season. I just want to be stronger in every (area of my game).”
29-year-old Halep is seeded in a Grand Slam for the 29th time in a row. This year is her 11th appearance at the Australian Open where she is bidding to win the title for the first time in her career. She finished runner-up to Caroline Wozniacki in 2018.
A veteran of the sport, Halep describes the courts at Melbourne Park as the quickest she has ever experienced. Something that has also been said by the likes of Novak Djokovic and Dominic Thiem. Although she has mixed emotions about the court speed.
“The court is a lot faster than last year and it is not easy for me because I have to be fast and block the power of my opponent. But I also like it, so I enjoy it.”
Halep will play either reigning French Open champion Iga Swiatek or Fiona Ferro. Should she end up playing Swiatek, she will have a shot at redemption.
“It’s a big challenge because she crushed me at the French Open,” she said of Swiatek. “I just have to play a better match against her. I’m confident and I’m here just to give my best.”
Halep has now won 99 Grand Slam main draw matches in her career.
