Halep squeezes through to Prague Open quarter-finals
Simona Halep beat Barbora Krejcikova to reach the quarter-finals of the WTA Prague Open.
PRAGUE (AFP) - Reigning Wimbledon champion Simona Halep reached the quarter-finals of the WTA Prague Open after grinding out a three-set win against Czech doubles specialist Barbora Krejcikova on Thursday.
The lacklustre Romanian world number two overpowered the 118th-ranked Krejcikova 3-6, 7-5 and 6-2 in two hours and five minutes in her second post-lockdown match.
On a scorching hot Thursday afternoon and behind closed doors, the 28-year-old Halep struggled with her right shoulder which affected her serve as she piled up ten double faults and gave away seven breaks.
She was 2-0 down in the third set but then won six games in a row after finally regaining composure as Krejcikova lost much of the resolve she had shown earlier in the match.
In the quarter-final, Halep will face Poland s Magdalena Frech, the world number 174.
Halep already struggled in her first match at the tournament, a 150-minute three setter against Slovenia s Polona Hercog.
Halep pulled out of the first post-lockdown WTA tournament in Palermo last week over virus concerns, and is yet to make a final decision whether to play at the US Open later this month.
The tournament in Prague is Halep s first trip abroad since February as she spent the lockdown in her native Romania.
Within security measures, the players and staff are all staying in a single eight-storey hotel reserved for the occasion.
Regular temperature checks are a must, just like face masks which the players have to wear unless they are playing, training or eating.
