“I’m a Little Bit Sore”: Simona Halep Assesses Her Game Ahead of WTA Melbourne 2021 Quarter-Finals

Romanian tennis star Simona Halep has said that she is happy with the level at which she is playing ahead of her quarter-final clash with Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova at the ongoing Melbourne WTA event on Friday.

The two-time Grand Slam champion set up a last-eight showdown with the Russian after posting a commanding 6-2, 6-4 win over Laura Siegemund of Germany in the fourth round on Wednesday.

“Really happy with the way I play”: Simona Halep

To a question on where her game is at, ahead of the quarter-final clash on Friday, Halep said, “I’m really happy with the way I play.”

The World Number 2 said that it was always a challenge to find one’s groove and hit top form early in the season, but she can see herself getting there ahead of bigger battles at the Australian Open.

“The beginning of the season is never easy. So I have to find the rhythm. But I’m getting better day by day,” the Romanian said.

Halep added that her win over World Number 1 and home favorite Ashleigh Barty in the exhibition tie in Adelaide gave her the much-needed belief and confidence in her game ahead of the challenges that lie ahead.

“The match with Ash in Adelaide helped me a lot,” the 2018 French Open champion said.

Halep to face Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova in WTA Melbourne QF

The Romanian revealed that she was feeling a “bit sore” after her fourth-round win at the Melbourne WTA, but also said that “tomorrow is a new day”.

The 2019 Wimbledon champion said that she hopes to rest and recover ahead of Friday’s clash and give herself the best chance of progressing to the last-four. “I just want to go (out) there and try to play better,” Halep said.

The Romanian has never had it easy against the 33rd-ranked Alexandrova and is currently tied 1-1 in head-to-head battles with the Russian.

In their last meeting at the Beijing WTA in 2019, Halep lost to the Russian in straight sets. Even at their first meeting at the Cincinnati Masters that year, Halep came from a set down to beat her.

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