After a turbulent past few months linked to injury Simona Halep looks to be back on track following what was a clinical performance during her second round match at the Madrid Open.
Taking on second seed and home favourite Paula Badosa, Halep produced tennis reminiscent of her best form as she strolled to a 6-3, 6-1, victory with relative ease. Although her Spanish rival was far from her best and did take a medical timeout for treatment on her shoulder. Nevertheless, Halep was in control throughout the encounter by winning 84% of her first service points and at one stage broke Badosa four times in a row. It is the first time she has beaten a top two player on the Tour since Angelique Kerber at the 2016 Canadian Open.
“She has confidence. She’s No. 2 in the world. I knew that I have to be focused for every point and to give everything I have, to give my best, and I think I did it great,” said Halep.
“I’m really pleased with the way I played. It’s exactly what we (my coaching team) talked about before the match, so that makes me super happy.”
Madrid marks the start of a new era in the career of 30-year-old Halep. It is the first tournament she is playing under the watchful eye of her new coach Patrick Mouratoglou who has previously worked with Serena Williams. The two managed to form an agreement earlier this year and the Romanian spent time training at Mouratoglou’s academy in France.
It was that four-week trip to the academy which Halep credits for reviving both her form and confidence. In a recent interview with tennismajors.com she revealed that she contemplated retirement from the sport last season due to uncertainty about how she will recover from injury.
“I was in doubt when I arrived there. I didn’t know how much I could play and how good I could still play,” Halep reflected.
“But now I’m a different person. I feel more confident. I feel that the pleasure helps me to work harder, to work more. I spend more time on the court.’
“I think it’s everything coming from inside, and at this point I feel happy with myself. I feel that I have the chance to play good tennis again.”
Speaking specifically about her new mentor, Halep says she trusts Mouratoglou ‘100%’ to guide her on the Tour and the two only talk about the present, not the past.
The resurgence of Halep coincides with a tournament which has brought her success in the past. She is a two-time champion in Madrid after winning the title in 2016 and 2017. In the third round of this year’s draw she will be bidding to win her 30th match at the tournament. Standing in her way is Coco Gauff who beat Yulia Putintseva in her second round match. Gauff has also in the past received guidance from Mouratoglou and belongs to his academy’s ‘Super Team’ group which supports transitioning players.
“I played against her in Indian Wells not a long time ago,” Halep said of the American. “She’s always a dangerous, tough player. I think she’s super young, and she’s playing great tennis, so credit to her.’
“It’s great to see that in tennis. I’m just focusing, sounds like a cliché from me, but I’m really focusing on myself, and I just want to give everything I have every match and to follow what I need to follow.”
Halep is the only former champion remaining in the Madrid Open women’s draw following early exits from reigning champion Aryna Sabalenka and three-time winner Petra Kvitova.
