Simona Halep is the last woman standing between&nbsp;Serena&nbsp;Williams and achieving her long-held ambition of equalling Margaret Court's Grand Slam title record after both recorded easy victories in their Wimbledon semi-finals on Thursday.

Seven-time champion Williams made short work of plucky unseeded Czech Barbora Strycova, whose experience of her first ever Grand Slams singles semi-final in her 53rd campaign lasted just under an hour as she lost 6-1, 6-2.

Former world number one Halep's clash with Ukrainian Elina Svitolina lasted a bit longer but the 27-year-old ran out a 6-1, 6-3 victor to become the first Romanian woman to reach the Wimbledon final.

Williams has missed the chance to equal Australian Court's record on two occasions since returning from giving birth -- losing last year's Wimbledon final and then a bad-tempered defeat in the US Open final.

"It feels good to be in the final again after the year I have had," said 37-year-old Williams.

"I have just needed matches to feel good and do what I do best and that is play tennis

"I love what I do. I have a great job and I am still pretty good at it. I get a remarkable experience every time."

Williams produced a dominant performance on Thursday which has not always been the case during the Championships and she said she would not be taking seventh-seeded Halep lightly.

"She's a tough opponent," said Williams. "We always have great matches. I look forward to it."

Strycova, who never managed to impose her delightful stroke-filled game on her opponent, at least has the consolation of perhaps winning the women's doubles. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Halep, who was French Open champion in 2018, will be playing in her fifth Grand Slam final.

"It's an amazing feeling but I am also excited and nervous. It is one of the best moments of my life," said Halep.

"The match was not easy, the games were long and went deep.

"I fought hard to win this match and I was strong mentally and physically and had the right tactics."

Halep, who had knocked out new star, 15-year-old Coco Gauff in the last 16, lost in her previous semi-final appearance at Wimbledon to Eugenie Bouchard in 2014.

However, she said she was a different player now and had taken to grass.

"I have more experience, I don't give up anymore," se said.

"I plan to be the best version of myself and fight to the end."

'Kicking the ball'

The easy manner in which former world number one Halep wrapped up the match had not looked on the cards at the outset.

Svitolina, the first Ukrainian woman to reach a Grand Slam semi-final, and Halep traded shots aplenty and break points in the opening two games which took over 20 minutes to complete but Halep emerged on top with a 2-0 lead.

Svitolina, being watched from the players box by her English coach Andy Bettles and French boyfriend and ATP star Gael Monfils, briefly raised her game to break back.

However, Halep broke again immediately and 24-year-old Svitolina gave an indication of her increasing frustration when she netted a simple volley and lashed out, kicking the ball into the net.

Worse was to come for Svitolina on her next service game wheh Halep produced a stunning shot to go 5-1.

The 27-year-old Romanian dashed across court to get to Svitolina's drop shot and flashed it cross court.

Halep, who had not faced a seeded player until Svitolina, faced some resistance as she served for the set eventually taking it on her sixth set point.

Although Svitolina stayed with Halep for the first part of the second set, the self-belief and fight had gone and when the Romanian broke for 4-3 it was game over.

All that was left was for Halep to blow a kiss skywards in celebration on sealing the match.

Simona Halep is the last woman standing between Serena Williams and achieving her long-held ambition of equalling Margaret Court's Grand Slam title record after both recorded easy victories in their Wimbledon semi-finals on Thursday.

Simona Halep is the last woman standing between Serena Williams and achieving her long-held ambition of equalling Margaret Court's Grand Slam title record after both recorded easy victories in their Wimbledon semi-finals on Thursday. Seven-time champion Williams made short work of plucky unseeded Czech Barbora Strycova, whose experience of her first ever Grand Slams singles semi-final in her 53rd campaign lasted just under an hour as she lost 6-1, 6-2. Former world number one Halep's clash with Ukrainian Elina Svitolina lasted a bit longer but the 27-year-old ran out a 6-1, 6-3 victor to become the first Romanian woman to reach the Wimbledon final. Williams has missed the chance to equal Australian Court's record on two occasions since returning from giving birth -- losing last year's Wimbledon final and then a bad-tempered defeat in the US Open final. "It feels good to be in the final again after the year I have had," said 37-year-old Williams. "I have just needed matches to feel good and do what I do best and that is play tennis "I love what I do. I have a great job and I am still pretty good at it. I get a remarkable experience every time." Williams produced a dominant performance on Thursday which has not always been the case during the Championships and she said she would not be taking seventh-seeded Halep lightly. "She's a tough opponent," said Williams. "We always have great matches. I look forward to it." Strycova, who never managed to impose her delightful stroke-filled game on her opponent, at least has the consolation of perhaps winning the women's doubles. Halep, who was French Open champion in 2018, will be playing in her fifth Grand Slam final. "It's an amazing feeling but I am also excited and nervous. It is one of the best moments of my life," said Halep. "The match was not easy, the games were long and went deep. "I fought hard to win this match and I was strong mentally and physically and had the right tactics." Halep, who had knocked out new star, 15-year-old Coco Gauff in the last 16, lost in her previous semi-final appearance at Wimbledon to Eugenie Bouchard in 2014. However, she said she was a different player now and had taken to grass. "I have more experience, I don't give up anymore," se said. "I plan to be the best version of myself and fight to the end." 'Kicking the ball' The easy manner in which former world number one Halep wrapped up the match had not looked on the cards at the outset. Svitolina, the first Ukrainian woman to reach a Grand Slam semi-final, and Halep traded shots aplenty and break points in the opening two games which took over 20 minutes to complete but Halep emerged on top with a 2-0 lead. Svitolina, being watched from the players box by her English coach Andy Bettles and French boyfriend and ATP star Gael Monfils, briefly raised her game to break back. However, Halep broke again immediately and 24-year-old Svitolina gave an indication of her increasing frustration when she netted a simple volley and lashed out, kicking the ball into the net. Worse was to come for Svitolina on her next service game wheh Halep produced a stunning shot to go 5-1. The 27-year-old Romanian dashed across court to get to Svitolina's drop shot and flashed it cross court. Halep, who had not faced a seeded player until Svitolina, faced some resistance as she served for the set eventually taking it on her sixth set point. Although Svitolina stayed with Halep for the first part of the second set, the self-belief and fight had gone and when the Romanian broke for 4-3 it was game over. All that was left was for Halep to blow a kiss skywards in celebration on sealing the match.

Serena Williams to face Simona Halep in Wimbledon final

Coco Gauff's dream Wimbledon run came to an abrupt end on Monday when the consistency of seventh seed and former world number one Simona Halep proved a step too far for the 15-year-old American, who went down 6-3, 6-3 in only 75 minutes.

After stunning Venus Williams then saving two match points en route to beating Polona Hercog last week, Gauff was suddenly the hottest ticket in town but she was always going to find it tough against Halep, last year's French Open champion and the first top-10 opponent she had ever faced.

Bidding to become the youngest Wimbledon quarter-finalist since fellow-15-year-old Jennifer Capriati in 1991, Gauff was by no means overawed, keeping the crowd entertained with some crashing backhands and athletic recoveries, but there were also far too many simple errors that the American was never going to get away with at this stage of the tournament.

Halep, who had given an indication of her form when dismissing the dangerous Victoria Azarenka in the last round, initially struggled, including in the third game where she sent down three successive double faults.

But Gauff was even more inconsistent, mixing up some superb shots with some pretty awful ones.

Halep then began to find her range and quickly realised that she did not need to take too many risks, keeping the ball in play, accepting that the occasional winner would whistle past her but more often winning the point via a Gauff mistake.

That was enough to take the first set and the pattern continued, with more emphasis in a quickfire second.

Medical Treatment

Gauff, who needed courtside medical treatment between the sets, started to snatch at her shots and became too loose while Halep did what she needed to as the American racked up a total of 45 unforced errors in the match.

Gauff did save two match points when serving at 5-2 down but this time it was only a temporary reprieve as Halep finished her off in the next game.

The Romanian will now face China's Shuai Zhang in the quarter-finals and, with the bottom half of the draw looking wide open, Halep has a great chance of going on to make the final for the first time.

"I am really happy I can play in the quarter-finals again, it's one of my favourite tournaments," Halep said.

"I am not comparing myself with last year, that was the best because I won the French Open, but I want to win every match I play."

Gauff, who came to the tournament via a qualifying competiton wildcard and ranked 313, can also expect to be challenging in the second week again in the future, and has won a legion of new fans.

"Your journey is far from over," tweeted tennis great Billie Jean-King. "Looking forward to watching your future successes on and off the court. #Big fan."

Coco Gauff's dream Wimbledon run came to an abrupt end on Monday when the consistency of seventh seed and former world number one Simona Halep proved a step too far for the 15-year-old American, who went down 6-3, 6-3 in only 75 minutes.

Coco Gauff's dream Wimbledon run came to an abrupt end on Monday when the consistency of seventh seed and former world number one Simona Halep proved a step too far for the 15-year-old American, who went down 6-3, 6-3 in only 75 minutes. After stunning Venus Williams then saving two match points en route to beating Polona Hercog last week, Gauff was suddenly the hottest ticket in town but she was always going to find it tough against Halep, last year's French Open champion and the first top-10 opponent she had ever faced. Bidding to become the youngest Wimbledon quarter-finalist since fellow-15-year-old Jennifer Capriati in 1991, Gauff was by no means overawed, keeping the crowd entertained with some crashing backhands and athletic recoveries, but there were also far too many simple errors that the American was never going to get away with at this stage of the tournament. Halep, who had given an indication of her form when dismissing the dangerous Victoria Azarenka in the last round, initially struggled, including in the third game where she sent down three successive double faults. But Gauff was even more inconsistent, mixing up some superb shots with some pretty awful ones. Halep then began to find her range and quickly realised that she did not need to take too many risks, keeping the ball in play, accepting that the occasional winner would whistle past her but more often winning the point via a Gauff mistake. That was enough to take the first set and the pattern continued, with more emphasis in a quickfire second. Medical Treatment Gauff, who needed courtside medical treatment between the sets, started to snatch at her shots and became too loose while Halep did what she needed to as the American racked up a total of 45 unforced errors in the match. Gauff did save two match points when serving at 5-2 down but this time it was only a temporary reprieve as Halep finished her off in the next game. The Romanian will now face China's Shuai Zhang in the quarter-finals and, with the bottom half of the draw looking wide open, Halep has a great chance of going on to make the final for the first time. "I am really happy I can play in the quarter-finals again, it's one of my favourite tournaments," Halep said. "I am not comparing myself with last year, that was the best because I won the French Open, but I want to win every match I play." Gauff, who came to the tournament via a qualifying competiton wildcard and ranked 313, can also expect to be challenging in the second week again in the future, and has won a legion of new fans. "Your journey is far from over," tweeted tennis great Billie Jean-King. "Looking forward to watching your future successes on and off the court. #Big fan."

Wimbledon: Simona Halep ends Coco Gauff's fairytale run

Former world number one Simona Halep reached her second Wimbledon semi-final after overcoming an early onslaught to deliver another textbook example of matchplay tennis and dispatch China's unseeded Zhang Shuai 7-6(4), 6-1 on Tuesday.

Just as she did in quelling the lively challenge of 15-year-old Coco Gauff on Monday, Halep initially struggled and looked in real danger when 4-1 down and facing more break points in the opening set. However, the Romanian dug in to see off the threat then played her usual percentage tennis as Zhang lost her way.

Seventh-seed Halep faces either Ukrainian eighth seed Elina Svitolina or unseeded Czech Karolina Muchova, who were playing later on Tuesday, as she bids to reach the final for the first time having lost to Eugenie Bouchard in the last four in 2014.

"I was a little bit nervous before the match, a little bit stressed, I knew that she was going to come and hit the ball strongly, Halep said.

"With her the ball doesn't bounce that much so it's really tough to return. But I kept fighting. I knew that I had to be 100 per cent for every ball, then I could break her rhythm a little bit. It happened in the second set."

Zhang, who won the pair's last two meetings in 2016, is ranked 50th and has reached the quarter-finals in only one Grand Slam event - the 2016 Australian Open.

However, she started superbly, serving and returning with depth, power and confidence to break in the second game and race to a 4-1 lead. That looked set to be 5-1 but Halep battled and chased to save four break points in a key game that lasted over 10 minutes and turned the match.

Calculated Groundstrokes

The 27-year-old Romanian, last year's French Open champion, began to find her own rhythm, delivering the calculated, low-risk groundstrokes that wore down American Gauff to hold, then broke back via a double fault.

Zhang's double-handed backhand, so deadly in the opening games, began to pepper the tramlines as the inconsistency indicated by her poor Grand Slam record became evident.

She clung on to get to a tiebreak but was well beaten in it and an early break in the second set put Halep 3-1 up.

Zhang's head then dropped and the errors flowed as Halep rattled through the remaining games at a canter.

"I was happy to make the quarter-finals and I had a really good start today," said Zhang. "I was hitting a lot of winners but after the 4-1 game I made more mistakes and she found a really good rhythm. Everything started to change then."

Halep said she now feels much more comfortable on grass having struggled on many of her previous appearances.

"It's a little bit dangerous when you play on grass because the feet are not really stable but now I've started to feel it, to have it in my hands, to have it in my legs, and also in my mind, which is very important," she said.

"I'm doing things to make the court work for me, like playing a little bit wider, then the ball slides a little bit because it's a grass court.

"I try to adjust myself, my body, to this court. I just feel more confident now."

Former world number one Simona Halep reached her second Wimbledon semi-final after overcoming an early onslaught to deliver another textbook example of matchplay tennis and dispatch China's unseeded Zhang Shuai 7-6(4), 6-1 on Tuesday.

Former world number one Simona Halep reached her second Wimbledon semi-final after overcoming an early onslaught to deliver another textbook example of matchplay tennis and dispatch China's unseeded Zhang Shuai 7-6(4), 6-1 on Tuesday. Just as she did in quelling the lively challenge of 15-year-old Coco Gauff on Monday, Halep initially struggled and looked in real danger when 4-1 down and facing more break points in the opening set. However, the Romanian dug in to see off the threat then played her usual percentage tennis as Zhang lost her way. Seventh-seed Halep faces either Ukrainian eighth seed Elina Svitolina or unseeded Czech Karolina Muchova, who were playing later on Tuesday, as she bids to reach the final for the first time having lost to Eugenie Bouchard in the last four in 2014. "I was a little bit nervous before the match, a little bit stressed, I knew that she was going to come and hit the ball strongly, Halep said. "With her the ball doesn't bounce that much so it's really tough to return. But I kept fighting. I knew that I had to be 100 per cent for every ball, then I could break her rhythm a little bit. It happened in the second set." Zhang, who won the pair's last two meetings in 2016, is ranked 50th and has reached the quarter-finals in only one Grand Slam event - the 2016 Australian Open. However, she started superbly, serving and returning with depth, power and confidence to break in the second game and race to a 4-1 lead. That looked set to be 5-1 but Halep battled and chased to save four break points in a key game that lasted over 10 minutes and turned the match. Calculated Groundstrokes The 27-year-old Romanian, last year's French Open champion, began to find her own rhythm, delivering the calculated, low-risk groundstrokes that wore down American Gauff to hold, then broke back via a double fault. Zhang's double-handed backhand, so deadly in the opening games, began to pepper the tramlines as the inconsistency indicated by her poor Grand Slam record became evident. She clung on to get to a tiebreak but was well beaten in it and an early break in the second set put Halep 3-1 up. Zhang's head then dropped and the errors flowed as Halep rattled through the remaining games at a canter. "I was happy to make the quarter-finals and I had a really good start today," said Zhang. "I was hitting a lot of winners but after the 4-1 game I made more mistakes and she found a really good rhythm. Everything started to change then." Halep said she now feels much more comfortable on grass having struggled on many of her previous appearances. "It's a little bit dangerous when you play on grass because the feet are not really stable but now I've started to feel it, to have it in my hands, to have it in my legs, and also in my mind, which is very important," she said. "I'm doing things to make the court work for me, like playing a little bit wider, then the ball slides a little bit because it's a grass court. "I try to adjust myself, my body, to this court. I just feel more confident now."

Wimbledon: Simona Halep enters semis after defeating Zhang Shuai

Simona Halep was supposedly having a 'chill' year, but for a little over an hour on Wimbledon's Centre Court the ice-cool Romanian was on fire as she swatted aside Victoria Azarenka 6-3, 6-1 on Friday to reach the fourth round.&nbsp;

Halep's form has understandably dipped since she won the French Open last year to lift the weighty millstone of several Grand Slam final failures and she said her intention in 2019 was to mentally ease off the throttle.&nbsp;

Yet any suggestion that her hunger had diminished was emphatically dispelled as she absorbed everything Azarenka could muster and then dismantled her fellow former world number one to progress for the loss of four games.&nbsp;

That statistic was all the more remarkable considering Azarenka, ranked 40th in the world, had broken in the fourth game of the first set to take a 3-1 lead, an advantage that was comprehensively erased.&nbsp;

Halep, who began the year as world number one, has slipped to seventh in the rankings, having reached the last eight only once in the last four majors, but there was plenty to suggest the claycourt specialist is a contender at the All England Club.&nbsp;

"I think was my best match this year. I played really well. I felt actually very confident. I've been aggressive all the match, even if I was 3-1 down first set," she said.&nbsp;

After suffering that early break, Halep won six straight games and from that point, there was no looking back.&nbsp;

Azarenka, who had dispatched her second-round opponent by winning 12 consecutive games, made only one further mark on the scoreboard against Halep, to level at 1-1 in the second set, before the Romanian put her foot to the floor to win five more games on the bounce.&nbsp;

She brought up three match points with a precise midcourt dropshot and, after spurning the first, put Azarenka out of her on-court misery, when the Belarusian netted a return.&nbsp;

For Azarenka, who only returned to the world's top 50 in February following the birth of her son at the end of 2016, it was a chastening experience.&nbsp;

Her frustrations were laid bare at times as she slammed her racket into the turf in the first set, receiving a code violation from the umpire, before she fell to her knees with head in hands after smacking a simple put-away into the net.

She later described the umpire's decision to apply the letter of the law when she threw her racket as "pathetic".

"It's like you have to be with no single emotion on the court, and that's just not tennis. I'm sorry, but it's not," she said.

Next up for ice-cool Halep is a potentially mouth-watering clash with Cori Gauff, providing the 15-year-old American can get past Polona Hercog.

Simona Halep was supposedly having a 'chill' year, but for a little over an hour on Wimbledon's Centre Court the ice-cool Romanian was on fire as she swatted aside Victoria Azarenka 6-3, 6-1 on Friday to reach the fourth round.

Simona Halep was supposedly having a 'chill' year, but for a little over an hour on Wimbledon's Centre Court the ice-cool Romanian was on fire as she swatted aside Victoria Azarenka 6-3, 6-1 on Friday to reach the fourth round. Halep's form has understandably dipped since she won the French Open last year to lift the weighty millstone of several Grand Slam final failures and she said her intention in 2019 was to mentally ease off the throttle. Yet any suggestion that her hunger had diminished was emphatically dispelled as she absorbed everything Azarenka could muster and then dismantled her fellow former world number one to progress for the loss of four games. That statistic was all the more remarkable considering Azarenka, ranked 40th in the world, had broken in the fourth game of the first set to take a 3-1 lead, an advantage that was comprehensively erased. Halep, who began the year as world number one, has slipped to seventh in the rankings, having reached the last eight only once in the last four majors, but there was plenty to suggest the claycourt specialist is a contender at the All England Club. "I think was my best match this year. I played really well. I felt actually very confident. I've been aggressive all the match, even if I was 3-1 down first set," she said. After suffering that early break, Halep won six straight games and from that point, there was no looking back. Azarenka, who had dispatched her second-round opponent by winning 12 consecutive games, made only one further mark on the scoreboard against Halep, to level at 1-1 in the second set, before the Romanian put her foot to the floor to win five more games on the bounce. She brought up three match points with a precise midcourt dropshot and, after spurning the first, put Azarenka out of her on-court misery, when the Belarusian netted a return. For Azarenka, who only returned to the world's top 50 in February following the birth of her son at the end of 2016, it was a chastening experience. Her frustrations were laid bare at times as she slammed her racket into the turf in the first set, receiving a code violation from the umpire, before she fell to her knees with head in hands after smacking a simple put-away into the net. She later described the umpire's decision to apply the letter of the law when she threw her racket as "pathetic". "It's like you have to be with no single emotion on the court, and that's just not tennis. I'm sorry, but it's not," she said. Next up for ice-cool Halep is a potentially mouth-watering clash with Cori Gauff, providing the 15-year-old American can get past Polona Hercog.

Wimbledon: Simona Halep defeats Victoria Azarenka to enter round four

In recent years Wimbledon has not exactly been a dreamland for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wimbledon-its-a-chill-year-says-simona-halep-as-she-sweeps-past-sasnovich-232222">Simona Halep</a> and Victoria Azarenka, and the nightmare will continue for one of them after the former world number ones set up a third-round showdown.

Seventh seed Halep appeared to be heading for an easy win when she was a set and 2-0 up against Mihaela Buzarnescu before her fellow Romanian stormed back to take the second set.

Buzarnescu even stopped in her tracks midway through the seventh game of the second set to hand over a bottle of water to a spectator who had fainted in the stands.

But Halep was less charitable and turfed her compatriot out of the championships with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 defeat.

Twelve months ago Halep perished in the third round despite being the top seed and she will be hoping for better fortune on Friday when she faces <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wimbledon-victoria-azarenka-powers-into-third-round-232782">Azarenka</a>.

"It's going to be a big challenge for me, tough one because she's ... very aggressive," said Halep, who has won two her four meetings with Azarenka, including at Wimbledon in 2017.

"I have to be strong on my legs to be ready for her strokes because she hits very strong," Halep said.

The Belarussian made sure there was no repeat of her 2018 second-round exit as she dished out a 6-2, 6-0 mauling to Australian Ajla Tomljanovic.

Halep and Azarenka were among four former WTA number ones in singles action on day three, along with Karolina Pliskova and Caroline Wozniacki.

Pliskova has long been thought of as a Grand Slam champion-in-waiting and the Czech provided evidence of her grass-court pedigree as she hurtled past Monica Puig 6-0, 6-4.

"I feel like I'm improving every day on grass," said Pliskova, who arrived at Wimbledon full of confidence after scooping her third title on grass at Eastbourne last week.

FAST LANE

But if Pliskova was hoping her success at Eastbourne would easily translate to a Wimbledon title, she will have to buck the trends as fellow Czech Jana Novotna was the last woman to have pulled off the feat 21 years ago.

On Wednesday, though, Pliskova showed why she is considered as one of the front runners for this year's Wimbledon crown.

Watched by former Formula One driver David Coulthard from the Royal Box, the third seed appeared to be in the fast lane to victory as she dropped only two points on serve to zoom through the first set in 20 minutes.

At the other end of Centre Court, a double fault on set point summed up the kind of torturous day Olympic champion Puig was having to endure.

But just when it seemed the race was on for Pliskova to produce the first double bagel of this year's championships, the Puerto Rican drew a prolonged round of sympathetic applause as she finally won a game in the second game of the second set.

The respite was shortlived as her Czech opponent, who could topple <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wimbledon-ashleigh-barty-embraces-number-one-tag-cruises-into-second-round-232654">Ash Barty</a> from the WTA rankings summit if she reaches the latter stages of the grasscourt major, broke Puig to go 3-1 ahead and served for the match at 5-3.

Being on the edge of defeat allowed Puig to come out swinging in the ninth game as she broke Pliskova.

But if that gave Puig a glint of hope for an upset, the Czech quickly snuffed out such thoughts by breaking the 25-year-old in the very next game to seal a third-round match with Taiwanese 28th seed Hsieh Su-wei.

"The deeper you go, the better players you play so it's not going to be easy here," said Pliskova, whose only defeat on grass this season was against her twin Kristyna in the last 16 in Birmingham.

Newly married Wozniacki's Wimbledon honeymoon continued with a 7-6(5), 6-3 win over Russian Veronika Kudermetova.

In recent years Wimbledon has not exactly been a dreamland for Simona Halep and Victoria Azarenka, and the nightmare will continue for one of them after the former world number ones set up a third-round showdown.

In recent years Wimbledon has not exactly been a dreamland for Simona Halep and Victoria Azarenka, and the nightmare will continue for one of them after the former world number ones set up a third-round showdown. Seventh seed Halep appeared to be heading for an easy win when she was a set and 2-0 up against Mihaela Buzarnescu before her fellow Romanian stormed back to take the second set. Buzarnescu even stopped in her tracks midway through the seventh game of the second set to hand over a bottle of water to a spectator who had fainted in the stands. But Halep was less charitable and turfed her compatriot out of the championships with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 defeat. Twelve months ago Halep perished in the third round despite being the top seed and she will be hoping for better fortune on Friday when she faces Azarenka. "It's going to be a big challenge for me, tough one because she's ... very aggressive," said Halep, who has won two her four meetings with Azarenka, including at Wimbledon in 2017. "I have to be strong on my legs to be ready for her strokes because she hits very strong," Halep said. The Belarussian made sure there was no repeat of her 2018 second-round exit as she dished out a 6-2, 6-0 mauling to Australian Ajla Tomljanovic. Halep and Azarenka were among four former WTA number ones in singles action on day three, along with Karolina Pliskova and Caroline Wozniacki. Pliskova has long been thought of as a Grand Slam champion-in-waiting and the Czech provided evidence of her grass-court pedigree as she hurtled past Monica Puig 6-0, 6-4. "I feel like I'm improving every day on grass," said Pliskova, who arrived at Wimbledon full of confidence after scooping her third title on grass at Eastbourne last week. FAST LANE But if Pliskova was hoping her success at Eastbourne would easily translate to a Wimbledon title, she will have to buck the trends as fellow Czech Jana Novotna was the last woman to have pulled off the feat 21 years ago. On Wednesday, though, Pliskova showed why she is considered as one of the front runners for this year's Wimbledon crown. Watched by former Formula One driver David Coulthard from the Royal Box, the third seed appeared to be in the fast lane to victory as she dropped only two points on serve to zoom through the first set in 20 minutes. At the other end of Centre Court, a double fault on set point summed up the kind of torturous day Olympic champion Puig was having to endure. But just when it seemed the race was on for Pliskova to produce the first double bagel of this year's championships, the Puerto Rican drew a prolonged round of sympathetic applause as she finally won a game in the second game of the second set. The respite was shortlived as her Czech opponent, who could topple Ash Barty from the WTA rankings summit if she reaches the latter stages of the grasscourt major, broke Puig to go 3-1 ahead and served for the match at 5-3. Being on the edge of defeat allowed Puig to come out swinging in the ninth game as she broke Pliskova. But if that gave Puig a glint of hope for an upset, the Czech quickly snuffed out such thoughts by breaking the 25-year-old in the very next game to seal a third-round match with Taiwanese 28th seed Hsieh Su-wei. "The deeper you go, the better players you play so it's not going to be easy here," said Pliskova, whose only defeat on grass this season was against her twin Kristyna in the last 16 in Birmingham. Newly married Wozniacki's Wimbledon honeymoon continued with a 7-6(5), 6-3 win over Russian Veronika Kudermetova.

Wimbledon: Simona Halep, Victoria Azarenka set up third round battle

Former world number one Victoria Azarenka thrashed Australian Ajla Tomljanovic 6-2, 6-0 in the second round to continue her impressive start at <a href="http://cms.wionews.com/sports/wimbledon-ashleigh-barty-embraces-number-one-tag-cruises-into-second-round-232654">Wimbledon </a>on Wednesday.

The unseeded 29-year-old Belarussian produced an aggressive display to overpower her opponent and set up a possible third-round clash with Romanian <a href="http://cms.wionews.com/sports/wimbledon-its-a-chill-year-says-simona-halep-as-she-sweeps-past-sasnovich-232222">Simona Halep</a>.

Twice Grand Slam champion Azarenka's progress since returning to tennis two years ago following the birth of her son Leo has been steady rather than spectacular, not helped by a long-running custody battle with her former partner.

But there are signs she is beginning to rediscover the form and hunger that took her to Wimbledon semi-finals in 2011 and 2012 as well as quarter-final runs in 2009 and 2015.

Tomljanovic, ranked 49, simply could not cope with the intensity of Azarenka's play and subsided easily.

Azarenka, who beat Alize Cornet in the first round, is in the third round of a Grand Slam for only the third time since returning to the Tour in June 2017.

Former world number one Victoria Azarenka thrashed Australian Ajla Tomljanovic 6-2, 6-0 in the second round to continue her impressive start at Wimbledon on Wednesday.

Former world number one Victoria Azarenka thrashed Australian Ajla Tomljanovic 6-2, 6-0 in the second round to continue her impressive start at Wimbledon on Wednesday. The unseeded 29-year-old Belarussian produced an aggressive display to overpower her opponent and set up a possible third-round clash with Romanian Simona Halep. Twice Grand Slam champion Azarenka's progress since returning to tennis two years ago following the birth of her son Leo has been steady rather than spectacular, not helped by a long-running custody battle with her former partner. But there are signs she is beginning to rediscover the form and hunger that took her to Wimbledon semi-finals in 2011 and 2012 as well as quarter-final runs in 2009 and 2015. Tomljanovic, ranked 49, simply could not cope with the intensity of Azarenka's play and subsided easily. Azarenka, who beat Alize Cornet in the first round, is in the third round of a Grand Slam for only the third time since returning to the Tour in June 2017.

Wimbledon: Victoria Azarenka powers into third round

She hasn't hit the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wimbledon-novak-djokovic-sweeps-through-under-keen-gaze-of-ivanisevic-232118">Wimbledon </a>lawns with the same swagger of recent years, but a more chilled Simona Halep still had plenty enough firepower on Monday to sweep past Aliaksandra Sasnovich into the second round 6-4, 7-5.

Not even an awkward fall mid-match could derail her on Court One as the Romanian seventh seed punched through Sasnovich in a match which, although not incident free, lacked any real drama.

In a spell where she seems to be prioritising a healthy perspective over ranking positions, Halep is seeded outside the top five at a grand slam for the first time in three years.

The former world number one suffered a blip in the second set when she started nudging the ball cautiously about the court rather than striking it with confidence. She ended up trailing 5-2, but in the event had too much pedigree for her Belarusian opponent.

"I didn't miss that much and I tried to be more aggressive to hit the ball," she said. "At one point I started to push the ball, and she could play her game. She plays well when she goes for it."

Sasnovich, conqueror of Petra Kvitova in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/second-seed-naomi-osaka-crashes-out-in-first-round-of-wimbledon-232123">Wimbledon </a>first round last year, did play well in patches and showed a little of what can make her dangerous. But she rarely threatened to bother Halep unduly, and Halep advanced, albeit with a sore knee and Achilles to add to her worries in southwest London.

"It's okay in this moment. But I need to do the treatment," she said of her injury scare. "I feel a little bit (sore). I think it's a little bit stretched, the muscle behind the knee, and also the Achilles. Hopefully, it is nothing dangerous and I can recover until the next match," she said.

"IT'S A CHILL YEAR"

Halep has measured expectations here. "Well, I said this year it's a chill year and I'm not putting pressure on myself," she said. "So I'm not analysing that much,'' Halep said.

"I just want to go on court and to see how good I can be this year. Next year maybe I will push a little bit more. Now I feel happy on court, I feel good. I just try to win every match I play. Nothing else on my mind."

This time last year she entered the tournament ranked number one in the world. Her ranking has slipped since, as she has focused on "normal" things. "Off-court things," she smiled. "I'm going out with friends, spending time with my family more, going out more."

That appetite for a more normal life may pay dividends down the track. "When I lose a match now, I'm not making a disaster of it," she said.

"I'm still motivated. I'm still ambitious. But, you know, I don't say, 'Okay, I'm here and I have to do this ...', I'm taking things easier.''

"I feel much better. I feel more relaxed. I try just to improve in other ways, not only on tennis way.''

"Back then it was a little bit of more pressure. Now I don't expect big things from myself, this period. I just try to improve in my attitude, in my game, as well. I'm not that stressed that I have to win every match I play. I see things a little bit differently."

She will face Mihaela Buzarnescu, 31, in an all-Romanian second round tie.

She hasn't hit the Wimbledon lawns with the same swagger of recent years, but a more chilled Simona Halep still had plenty enough firepower on Monday to sweep past Aliaksandra Sasnovich into the second round 6-4, 7-5.

She hasn't hit the Wimbledon lawns with the same swagger of recent years, but a more chilled Simona Halep still had plenty enough firepower on Monday to sweep past Aliaksandra Sasnovich into the second round 6-4, 7-5. Not even an awkward fall mid-match could derail her on Court One as the Romanian seventh seed punched through Sasnovich in a match which, although not incident free, lacked any real drama. In a spell where she seems to be prioritising a healthy perspective over ranking positions, Halep is seeded outside the top five at a grand slam for the first time in three years. The former world number one suffered a blip in the second set when she started nudging the ball cautiously about the court rather than striking it with confidence. She ended up trailing 5-2, but in the event had too much pedigree for her Belarusian opponent. "I didn't miss that much and I tried to be more aggressive to hit the ball," she said. "At one point I started to push the ball, and she could play her game. She plays well when she goes for it." Sasnovich, conqueror of Petra Kvitova in the Wimbledon first round last year, did play well in patches and showed a little of what can make her dangerous. But she rarely threatened to bother Halep unduly, and Halep advanced, albeit with a sore knee and Achilles to add to her worries in southwest London. "It's okay in this moment. But I need to do the treatment," she said of her injury scare. "I feel a little bit (sore). I think it's a little bit stretched, the muscle behind the knee, and also the Achilles. Hopefully, it is nothing dangerous and I can recover until the next match," she said. "IT'S A CHILL YEAR" Halep has measured expectations here. "Well, I said this year it's a chill year and I'm not putting pressure on myself," she said. "So I'm not analysing that much,'' Halep said. "I just want to go on court and to see how good I can be this year. Next year maybe I will push a little bit more. Now I feel happy on court, I feel good. I just try to win every match I play. Nothing else on my mind." This time last year she entered the tournament ranked number one in the world. Her ranking has slipped since, as she has focused on "normal" things. "Off-court things," she smiled. "I'm going out with friends, spending time with my family more, going out more." That appetite for a more normal life may pay dividends down the track. "When I lose a match now, I'm not making a disaster of it," she said. "I'm still motivated. I'm still ambitious. But, you know, I don't say, 'Okay, I'm here and I have to do this ...', I'm taking things easier.'' "I feel much better. I feel more relaxed. I try just to improve in other ways, not only on tennis way.'' "Back then it was a little bit of more pressure. Now I don't expect big things from myself, this period. I just try to improve in my attitude, in my game, as well. I'm not that stressed that I have to win every match I play. I see things a little bit differently." She will face Mihaela Buzarnescu, 31, in an all-Romanian second round tie.

Wimbledon: 'It's a chill year', says Simona Halep as she sweeps past Sasnovich

Eight women to watch out for at Wimbledon 2019

Defending champion Simona Halep was knocked out of the French Open 6-2, 6-4 by 17-year-old American Amanda Anisimova in a quarter-final shock on Thursday.

The third seed from Romania had been looking to become the first woman to retain her title at Roland Garros since Belgian Justine Henin won three times in a row from 2005-07.

Anisimova, the first player born in the 2000s to reach the last eight at a Grand Slam, can become the first teenager to lift the trophy here since Iva Majoli of Croatia prevailed in 1997.

She next faces either fellow American Madison Keys or Australian Ashleigh Barty.

"This is honestly more than I could ever have asked for. That was one of the best matches I have ever played,'' the teenager said on the court at the finish.

Defending champion Simona Halep was knocked out of the French Open 6-2, 6-4 by 17-year-old American Amanda Anisimova in a quarter-final shock on Thursday. The third seed from Romania had been looking to become the first woman to retain her title at Roland Garros since Belgian Justine Henin won three times in a row from 2005-07.

Defending champion Simona Halep was knocked out of the French Open 6-2, 6-4 by 17-year-old American Amanda Anisimova in a quarter-final shock on Thursday. The third seed from Romania had been looking to become the first woman to retain her title at Roland Garros since Belgian Justine Henin won three times in a row from 2005-07. Anisimova, the first player born in the 2000s to reach the last eight at a Grand Slam, can become the first teenager to lift the trophy here since Iva Majoli of Croatia prevailed in 1997. She next faces either fellow American Madison Keys or Australian Ashleigh Barty. "This is honestly more than I could ever have asked for. That was one of the best matches I have ever played,'' the teenager said on the court at the finish.

French Open: Defending champion Simona Halep's run ended by teenager Anisimova

Facing two teenagers in as many rounds in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/roger-federer-rafael-nadal-to-meet-in-french-open-semi-finals-224365">French Open</a> has left Simona Halep feeling "old", but the 27-year-old said the experience of being a Grand Slam winner can help her tackle youthful rivals, who show no fear.

Having dismantled 18-year-old Iga Swiatek of Poland 6-1, 6-0 in the last round, defending champion Halep faces a potentially tricky encounter against American Amanda Anisimova in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros on Wednesday.

While she may not like to be reminded of the 10-year age gap between Anisimova and herself, Halep is confident she can handle whatever the world number 51 throws at her.

"I feel old... very old. To play against someone 10 years younger than me, that's not easy... they're young, they have nothing to lose so every match is tough," Halep said.

"When you face someone that is higher ranked than you, you don't have, you know, fear. You just go and want to show your best tennis. So I feel like they have this feeling all the time when they play with someone better ranked. But also, I take my advantage and I say that I'm experienced. So we'll see," added Halep.

Anisimova announced herself on the big stage in January by reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open and won her maiden WTA title in Bogota in April.

She has moved into the last eight in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/johanna-konta-first-british-woman-in-roland-garros-semis-in-36-years-224347">Paris </a>without dropping a set, scoring a comprehensive 6-3, 6-0 win over Aliona Bolsova in the fourth round to set up a dream meeting with Halep.

"I can't describe how excited I am. It's amazing playing her. She won it the previous year. So honestly, I couldn't ask for a better match," Anisimova said.

"I'm just extremely happy and excited for the next round... I'm just gonna go out there... I have no pressure. Hopefully, I can bring my best game," added Anisimova.

In the other quarter-final, American Madison Keys squares off against Ashleigh Barty.

In the men's draw, top seed Novak Djokovic continues his quest to become the first man in the professional era to twice hold all four major titles simultaneously when he takes on Alexander Zverev.

Austrian fourth seed Dominic Thiem faces Russia's Karen Khachanov. 
&nbsp;

Facing two teenagers in as many rounds in the French Open has left Simona Halep feeling "old", but the 27-year-old said the experience of being a Grand Slam winner can help her tackle youthful rivals, who show no fear.

Facing two teenagers in as many rounds in the French Open has left Simona Halep feeling "old", but the 27-year-old said the experience of being a Grand Slam winner can help her tackle youthful rivals, who show no fear. Having dismantled 18-year-old Iga Swiatek of Poland 6-1, 6-0 in the last round, defending champion Halep faces a potentially tricky encounter against American Amanda Anisimova in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros on Wednesday. While she may not like to be reminded of the 10-year age gap between Anisimova and herself, Halep is confident she can handle whatever the world number 51 throws at her. "I feel old... very old. To play against someone 10 years younger than me, that's not easy... they're young, they have nothing to lose so every match is tough," Halep said. "When you face someone that is higher ranked than you, you don't have, you know, fear. You just go and want to show your best tennis. So I feel like they have this feeling all the time when they play with someone better ranked. But also, I take my advantage and I say that I'm experienced. So we'll see," added Halep. Anisimova announced herself on the big stage in January by reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open and won her maiden WTA title in Bogota in April. She has moved into the last eight in Paris without dropping a set, scoring a comprehensive 6-3, 6-0 win over Aliona Bolsova in the fourth round to set up a dream meeting with Halep. "I can't describe how excited I am. It's amazing playing her. She won it the previous year. So honestly, I couldn't ask for a better match," Anisimova said. "I'm just extremely happy and excited for the next round... I'm just gonna go out there... I have no pressure. Hopefully, I can bring my best game," added Anisimova. In the other quarter-final, American Madison Keys squares off against Ashleigh Barty. In the men's draw, top seed Novak Djokovic continues his quest to become the first man in the professional era to twice hold all four major titles simultaneously when he takes on Alexander Zverev. Austrian fourth seed Dominic Thiem faces Russia's Karen Khachanov.

French Open: Simona Halep counting on experience to tame teenager Anisimova to reach semis

Defending champion Simona Halep hurried into the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/novak-djokovic-reaches-10th-successive-french-open-quarter-final-223939">French Open quarter-finals</a> by sweeping aside Polish teenager Iga Swiatek in a 6-1, 6-0 victory on Monday.

Third seed Halep produced a nearly flawless performance on Court Philippe Chatrier against a bold opponent who turned 18 last Friday.

The Romanian will now face another teenager, American Amanda Anisimova, who thrashed Spain's Aliona Bolsova 6-3, 6-0.

"I feel old," joked the 27-year-old Halep.

The former world number one said she had been coping well with the pressure of being defending champion at <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/french-open-ashleigh-barty-defeats-sofia-kenin-to-enter-quarter-finals-223887">Roland Garros.</a>

"I saw it different since the beginning. I felt different. I felt more relaxed, even if the pressure was on," she said. I feel good in this position and I always say that even if you're No. 1, you win a Grand Slam, you have to enjoy the moment,'' said Halep.

"So I did that pretty well this year. Back to the quarter-finals is not easy, so I'm thinking just to give my best again next round. It's just what I'm thinking about," Halep added.

Swiatek came out with all guns blazing but failed to master her raw power, bowing out after 45 minutes when Halep whipped a forehand winner down the line.

Defending champion Simona Halep hurried into the French Open quarter-finals by sweeping aside Polish teenager Iga Swiatek in a 6-1, 6-0 victory on Monday. Third seed Halep produced a nearly flawless performance on Court Philippe Chatrier against a bold opponent who turned 18 last Friday.

Defending champion Simona Halep hurried into the French Open quarter-finals by sweeping aside Polish teenager Iga Swiatek in a 6-1, 6-0 victory on Monday. Third seed Halep produced a nearly flawless performance on Court Philippe Chatrier against a bold opponent who turned 18 last Friday. The Romanian will now face another teenager, American Amanda Anisimova, who thrashed Spain's Aliona Bolsova 6-3, 6-0. "I feel old," joked the 27-year-old Halep. The former world number one said she had been coping well with the pressure of being defending champion at Roland Garros. "I saw it different since the beginning. I felt different. I felt more relaxed, even if the pressure was on," she said. I feel good in this position and I always say that even if you're No. 1, you win a Grand Slam, you have to enjoy the moment,'' said Halep. "So I did that pretty well this year. Back to the quarter-finals is not easy, so I'm thinking just to give my best again next round. It's just what I'm thinking about," Halep added. Swiatek came out with all guns blazing but failed to master her raw power, bowing out after 45 minutes when Halep whipped a forehand winner down the line.

French Open: Defending champion Simona Halep swings into last eight

A ruthlessly efficient Simona Halep marched into the fourth round of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/french-open-incredible-fantastic-feels-rafael-nadal-after-demolishing-goffin-sweeps-into-fourth-round-223315">French Open</a> on Saturday, dropping just three games against Lesia Tsurenko.

Halep, the defending champion from Romania, had been forced to go the distance in the first two rounds.

Playing her best match of the tournament, she had no trouble against an error-strewn Tsurenko, winning 6-2, 6-1 in just 55 minutes to extend her win streak against the No. 27 seed from Ukraine to 8-0.

After a relatively cool start to the first week of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/french-open-roger-federer-wins-his-400th-grand-slam-match-blazes-into-fourth-round-223311">French Open</a>, temperatures are expected to soar to as high as 30 degrees Celsius (86 F) at the end of the afternoon at Roland Garros in Paris.

Taking advantage of the balls kicking up higher on the clay of the main Court Philippe-Chatrier, Halep took the first set in just 28 minutes as she dominated her opponent from the back of the court.

Tsurenko, who had won her previous match 11-9 in the decider against Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic playing with a broken racket, requested a medical timeout as she trailed 3-0 in the second set.

Watched by Romanian billionaire Ion Tiriac, Halep’s intensity never dropped, as she took a 4-0 lead with aggressive shot-making.

Serving for the match at 5-0, Halep got broken, but booked a spot in the fourth round in the next game with a volley, her ninth winner.

She made 14 errors, while Tsurenko had just 8 winners and made 32 unforced errors.

"It was a tough match even if the scoreline does not show it," Halep said.

"Every day in my life I have that image of me winning last year in my mind, it was my greatest moment of my career and it was all the more satisfying for having won here in the juniors as well,"&nbsp;Halep added.

A ruthlessly efficient Simona Halep marched into the fourth round of the French Open on Saturday, dropping just three games against Lesia Tsurenko. Halep, the defending champion from Romania, had been forced to go the distance in the first two rounds.

A ruthlessly efficient Simona Halep marched into the fourth round of the French Open on Saturday, dropping just three games against Lesia Tsurenko. Halep, the defending champion from Romania, had been forced to go the distance in the first two rounds. Playing her best match of the tournament, she had no trouble against an error-strewn Tsurenko, winning 6-2, 6-1 in just 55 minutes to extend her win streak against the No. 27 seed from Ukraine to 8-0. After a relatively cool start to the first week of the French Open, temperatures are expected to soar to as high as 30 degrees Celsius (86 F) at the end of the afternoon at Roland Garros in Paris. Taking advantage of the balls kicking up higher on the clay of the main Court Philippe-Chatrier, Halep took the first set in just 28 minutes as she dominated her opponent from the back of the court. Tsurenko, who had won her previous match 11-9 in the decider against Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic playing with a broken racket, requested a medical timeout as she trailed 3-0 in the second set. Watched by Romanian billionaire Ion Tiriac, Halep’s intensity never dropped, as she took a 4-0 lead with aggressive shot-making. Serving for the match at 5-0, Halep got broken, but booked a spot in the fourth round in the next game with a volley, her ninth winner. She made 14 errors, while Tsurenko had just 8 winners and made 32 unforced errors. "It was a tough match even if the scoreline does not show it," Halep said. "Every day in my life I have that image of me winning last year in my mind, it was my greatest moment of my career and it was all the more satisfying for having won here in the juniors as well," Halep added.

French Open: Simona Halep ruthlessly races past Tsurenko to move into fourth round

Most defending champions would start a grand slam with added pressure but Simona Halep declared she would kick off her <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/draw-hands-roger-federer-smooth-start-on-french-open-return-221215">French Open campaign</a> knowing that she's 'done it already'.

The third-seeded Romanian lifted the Suzanne Lenglen Cup last year after coming off second best at two previous Roland Garros finals.

"It's much better and much easier, because I have the title already. Doesn't matter anymore what is going to happen," the 27-year-old told reporters on Friday ahead of the May 26-June 9 claycourt tournament.

"Everything comes now as a bonus. So I will try just to give my best and to see if I'm able to do it again."

Halep, who lost in the 2014 and 2017 finals in Paris, will kick off her campaign against Australian Ajla Tomljanovic and appears to have an easy path to the quarter-finals, where she faces a potential clash with Czech Petra Kvitova.

"I will try to do things (like) a kid, enjoying the time. I wanted this badly, and I wanted so much that now having it, I just want to be happy and to smile," said Halep, who has not gone past the fourth round in a grand slam since she triumphed here last year.

"Yesterday when I had the chance to touch the trophy again (at the draw ceremony), I wanted to take it home, but I was not able to do that."

On clay, she reached the final of the Madrid Open before losing in the second round of the Italian Open last week.

"I played so well in Fed Cup (against France). I really felt the game, and I was really confident after that tie. Also disappointed that we couldn't win the match, but still gave me a lot of confidence," she said.

"And then going to Madrid which is maybe my favourite tournament, because I won twice there, and I played two finals, even if I didn't win the final, I felt that my level is very high.

"I have confidence. I don't count Rome this year."

Most defending champions would start a grand slam with added pressure but Simona Halep declared she would kick off her French Open campaign knowing that she's 'done it already'.

Most defending champions would start a grand slam with added pressure but Simona Halep declared she would kick off her French Open campaign knowing that she's 'done it already'. The third-seeded Romanian lifted the Suzanne Lenglen Cup last year after coming off second best at two previous Roland Garros finals. "It's much better and much easier, because I have the title already. Doesn't matter anymore what is going to happen," the 27-year-old told reporters on Friday ahead of the May 26-June 9 claycourt tournament. "Everything comes now as a bonus. So I will try just to give my best and to see if I'm able to do it again." Halep, who lost in the 2014 and 2017 finals in Paris, will kick off her campaign against Australian Ajla Tomljanovic and appears to have an easy path to the quarter-finals, where she faces a potential clash with Czech Petra Kvitova. "I will try to do things (like) a kid, enjoying the time. I wanted this badly, and I wanted so much that now having it, I just want to be happy and to smile," said Halep, who has not gone past the fourth round in a grand slam since she triumphed here last year. "Yesterday when I had the chance to touch the trophy again (at the draw ceremony), I wanted to take it home, but I was not able to do that." On clay, she reached the final of the Madrid Open before losing in the second round of the Italian Open last week. "I played so well in Fed Cup (against France). I really felt the game, and I was really confident after that tie. Also disappointed that we couldn't win the match, but still gave me a lot of confidence," she said. "And then going to Madrid which is maybe my favourite tournament, because I won twice there, and I played two finals, even if I didn't win the final, I felt that my level is very high. "I have confidence. I don't count Rome this year."

Simona Halep to start French Open title defence with no extra pressure

French Open champion <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=Simona+Halep">Simona Halep</a> has said won't be burdened by expectations that she can repeat last year's triumph and would rather focus on enjoying the Grand Slam which starts on Sunday.

The 27-year-old Romanian enters Roland Garros as a favourite for the title given the contrasting form of some of the top names, including Japan's world number one Naomi Osaka, but her own claycourt preparation has not been spectacular either.

World number three Halep could have knocked Osaka off top spot by winning the Madrid Open earlier this month but lost in straight sets to Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens in the final.

A few days later, she fell at her first hurdle in the Italian Open, losing to Marketa Vondrousova -- Halep's second defeat by the 19-year-old Czech this year after a three-set loss at Indian Wells.

However, the Romanian said she did not feel any extra pressure to retain her title at Roland Garros.

"I have no expectations because it's the first time when I have to defend a trophy at a Grand Slam," she told Romania's Digi Sport TV station. "(I just want to) be relaxed, enjoy the tournament and try to win some matches. Nothing more!"

Elite group

Halep has been backed by former French Open champions Mats Wilander and Justine Henin to join an elite group of players in retaining her crown, with three-times men’s champion Wilander saying Halep versus Serena Williams would be "a dream final".

Williams, 37, is battling to be fit for Roland Garros having pulled out of the Italian Open last Tuesday due to a persistent knee injury..

Only five women have successfully defended their titles at the French Open - Margaret Court, Chris Evert, Monica Seles, Steffi Graf and Henin.

Last year Halep finally made it over the line in Paris with a three-set victory over American Sloane Stephens in the final for her maiden Grand Slam title.

The Romanian has special memories of Roland Garros, which is where she won the junior title in 2008 and reached her first major final against Maria Sharapova in 2014.

Halep received medical treatment in the closing stages of the Vondrousova defeat but has shrugged off concerns about her own fitness by declaring herself ready to compete in Paris.

The Romanian even saw some advantages from her early exit in the Italian capital.

"It's also a good thing if you look at the positive side, I needed a few days of relaxation," Halep said. "I rest and hope to have the batteries loaded for Roland Garros."

French Open champion Simona Halep has said won't be burdened by expectations that she can repeat last year's triumph and would rather focus on enjoying the Grand Slam which starts on Sunday.

French Open champion Simona Halep has said won't be burdened by expectations that she can repeat last year's triumph and would rather focus on enjoying the Grand Slam which starts on Sunday. The 27-year-old Romanian enters Roland Garros as a favourite for the title given the contrasting form of some of the top names, including Japan's world number one Naomi Osaka, but her own claycourt preparation has not been spectacular either. World number three Halep could have knocked Osaka off top spot by winning the Madrid Open earlier this month but lost in straight sets to Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens in the final. A few days later, she fell at her first hurdle in the Italian Open, losing to Marketa Vondrousova -- Halep's second defeat by the 19-year-old Czech this year after a three-set loss at Indian Wells. However, the Romanian said she did not feel any extra pressure to retain her title at Roland Garros. "I have no expectations because it's the first time when I have to defend a trophy at a Grand Slam," she told Romania's Digi Sport TV station. "(I just want to) be relaxed, enjoy the tournament and try to win some matches. Nothing more!" Elite group Halep has been backed by former French Open champions Mats Wilander and Justine Henin to join an elite group of players in retaining her crown, with three-times men’s champion Wilander saying Halep versus Serena Williams would be "a dream final". Williams, 37, is battling to be fit for Roland Garros having pulled out of the Italian Open last Tuesday due to a persistent knee injury.. Only five women have successfully defended their titles at the French Open - Margaret Court, Chris Evert, Monica Seles, Steffi Graf and Henin. Last year Halep finally made it over the line in Paris with a three-set victory over American Sloane Stephens in the final for her maiden Grand Slam title. The Romanian has special memories of Roland Garros, which is where she won the junior title in 2008 and reached her first major final against Maria Sharapova in 2014. Halep received medical treatment in the closing stages of the Vondrousova defeat but has shrugged off concerns about her own fitness by declaring herself ready to compete in Paris. The Romanian even saw some advantages from her early exit in the Italian capital. "It's also a good thing if you look at the positive side, I needed a few days of relaxation," Halep said. "I rest and hope to have the batteries loaded for Roland Garros."

Defending champion Simona Halep shrugs off expectations ahead of French Open

Kiki Bertens moved up to the fourth spot in WTA ranking after defeating the former world number one Simona Halep in the final of Madrid Open on Saturday.&nbsp;

Bertens needed 1 hour and 28 minutes <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kiki-bertens-earns-flawless-madrid-triumph-with-win-over-halep-217998">to beat Halep 6-4, 6-4</a> in order to win the trophy in the Spanish capital.&nbsp;

She also became the first woman to win the championship with dropping a set.&nbsp;

After winning, Bertens said, "It feels unbelievable. I am just really happy right now that I was able to win the match today after last year's final. I think that helped me a lot to be on the court a little bit more confident and I felt good today."&nbsp;

That was the second time Bertens beat Halep in a WTA final following her at the Western &amp; Southern Open in the USA in August 2018.&nbsp;

On achieving career's best ranking, Bertens said, "It feels really unbelievable. My best ranking after the winning this tournament. The biggest title of my career. The highest ranking ever a Dutch woman has achieved so I am just really proud of that."&nbsp;

"At the beginning, I was a little bit searching for my game still, but I think the rest of the match I played really solid, really smart," Bertens told a news conference.&nbsp;

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Making history and impossible shots.<a href="https://twitter.com/kikibertens?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kikibertens</a> masters the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MMOPEN?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MMOPEN</a> Shot of the Day. <a href="https://t.co/oziaWcakki">pic.twitter.com/oziaWcakki</a>
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"Maybe a little bit lucky like on the 4-3 game when I hit the ball in the fence and it hit her but sometimes you need a little luck. I'm just happy how I was able to finish the match," she added.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kiki Bertens moved up to the fourth spot in WTA ranking after defeating the former world number one Simona Halep in the final of Madrid Open on Saturday. Bertens needed 1 hour and 28 minutes to beat Halep 6-4, 6-4 in order to win the trophy in the Spanish capital.

Kiki Bertens moved up to the fourth spot in WTA ranking after defeating the former world number one Simona Halep in the final of Madrid Open on Saturday. Bertens needed 1 hour and 28 minutes to beat Halep 6-4, 6-4 in order to win the trophy in the Spanish capital. She also became the first woman to win the championship with dropping a set. After winning, Bertens said, "It feels unbelievable. I am just really happy right now that I was able to win the match today after last year's final. I think that helped me a lot to be on the court a little bit more confident and I felt good today." That was the second time Bertens beat Halep in a WTA final following her at the Western & Southern Open in the USA in August 2018. On achieving career's best ranking, Bertens said, "It feels really unbelievable. My best ranking after the winning this tournament. The biggest title of my career. The highest ranking ever a Dutch woman has achieved so I am just really proud of that." "At the beginning, I was a little bit searching for my game still, but I think the rest of the match I played really solid, really smart," Bertens told a news conference. Making history and impossible shots.@kikibertens masters the #MMOPEN Shot of the Day. pic.twitter.com/oziaWcakki — WTA (@WTA) May 11, 2019 × Newly minted Premier Mandatory champ @kikibertens has a few words to share with the fans 👋#MMOPEN pic.twitter.com/hFsqORFmRo — WTA (@WTA) May 11, 2019 × "Maybe a little bit lucky like on the 4-3 game when I hit the ball in the fence and it hit her but sometimes you need a little luck. I'm just happy how I was able to finish the match," she added.

'It feels really unbelievable,' says Kiki Bertens after moving up to 4th spot in world rankings

Kiki Bertens won the biggest title of her career on Saturday, beating Simona Halep 6-4 6-4 in the Madrid Open final while also becoming the first woman ever to win the championship without dropping a set.

Making up for her loss in last year's final to Petra Kvitova, the clay court triumph ensured the Dutchwoman Bertens will move to a career-best fourth in the world rankings on Monday and become the highest ranked Dutchwoman in history.

The defeat was extra painful for Halep, though, who would have regained her number one ranking had she won the showpiece.

Bertens came back from 4-2 down in the first set against French Open champion Halep by winning the next three games, striking the first blow in a gripping final full of drama which lasted one hour and 27 minutes.

Bertens, who hit four aces among her 25 winners in an excellent performance, got off to an ideal start in the opening game of the second by breaking Halep, who was playing in her third Madrid final after triumphs in 2016 and 2017.

The Romanian stayed in contention but was dealt a terrible dose of luck in the eighth game which handed more momentum to Bertens.

A shot from Bertens was heading way out and would have handed Halep two break points but the wayward ball struck the Romanian's body, earning her opponent a fortuitous point that eventually led to her holding serve.

"Really solid, really smart"

"At the beginning I was a little bit searching for my game still, but I think the rest of the match I played really solid, really smart," Bertens told a news conference.

"Maybe a little bit lucky like on the 4-3 game when I hit the ball in the fence and it hit her but sometimes you need a little luck. I'm just happy how I was able to finish the match."

Bertens earned her first championship point with a scorching ace but Halep saved it with a drop volley at the net, only to then hand her rival another one by finding the net with a careless shot.

Bertens missed out again but earned a third championship point when Halep narrowly missed the baseline and she finally seized her ninth WTA title when the world number two hit a backhand out.

It was Bertens' fourth victory over a Grand Slam winner during the week on her way to the title.

"I just feel really happy. I am really proud of this week. I played some good tennis and will be number four in the world on Monday, it is just all amazing things," Bertens added.

Halep had no complaints, congratulating her opponent while admitting she played into Bertens' hands.

"She played better tennis tonight. She deserved to win the match, definitely," she said.

"I think I played wrong, and I'm upset about that. I played stupidly today, I did everything that she liked. It was a good match from her. And she deserved to win the title because she played really good tennis throughout the whole week."

Kiki Bertens won the biggest title of her career on Saturday, beating Simona Halep 6-4 6-4 in the Madrid Open final while also becoming the first woman ever to win the championship without dropping a set.

Kiki Bertens won the biggest title of her career on Saturday, beating Simona Halep 6-4 6-4 in the Madrid Open final while also becoming the first woman ever to win the championship without dropping a set. Making up for her loss in last year's final to Petra Kvitova, the clay court triumph ensured the Dutchwoman Bertens will move to a career-best fourth in the world rankings on Monday and become the highest ranked Dutchwoman in history. The defeat was extra painful for Halep, though, who would have regained her number one ranking had she won the showpiece. Bertens came back from 4-2 down in the first set against French Open champion Halep by winning the next three games, striking the first blow in a gripping final full of drama which lasted one hour and 27 minutes. Bertens, who hit four aces among her 25 winners in an excellent performance, got off to an ideal start in the opening game of the second by breaking Halep, who was playing in her third Madrid final after triumphs in 2016 and 2017. The Romanian stayed in contention but was dealt a terrible dose of luck in the eighth game which handed more momentum to Bertens. A shot from Bertens was heading way out and would have handed Halep two break points but the wayward ball struck the Romanian's body, earning her opponent a fortuitous point that eventually led to her holding serve. "Really solid, really smart" "At the beginning I was a little bit searching for my game still, but I think the rest of the match I played really solid, really smart," Bertens told a news conference. "Maybe a little bit lucky like on the 4-3 game when I hit the ball in the fence and it hit her but sometimes you need a little luck. I'm just happy how I was able to finish the match." Bertens earned her first championship point with a scorching ace but Halep saved it with a drop volley at the net, only to then hand her rival another one by finding the net with a careless shot. Bertens missed out again but earned a third championship point when Halep narrowly missed the baseline and she finally seized her ninth WTA title when the world number two hit a backhand out. It was Bertens' fourth victory over a Grand Slam winner during the week on her way to the title. "I just feel really happy. I am really proud of this week. I played some good tennis and will be number four in the world on Monday, it is just all amazing things," Bertens added. Halep had no complaints, congratulating her opponent while admitting she played into Bertens' hands. "She played better tennis tonight. She deserved to win the match, definitely," she said. "I think I played wrong, and I'm upset about that. I played stupidly today, I did everything that she liked. It was a good match from her. And she deserved to win the title because she played really good tennis throughout the whole week."

Kiki Bertens earns flawless Madrid triumph with win over Halep

Simona Halep reached her fourth Madrid Open final with a 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-0 win over Belinda Bencic on Friday and will face last year's runner up Kiki Bertens, who beat Sloane Stephens 6-2, 7-5.

World number three Halep can move back to the top of the WTA rankings with a win in Saturday's final.

Twice Madrid winner Halep broke the unseeded Bencic in the first game of the first set, the Swiss's errant backhand flying out, but she broke back to tie at 2-2.

The Romanian broke for a 3-2 lead and a down-the-line shot sealed another break in the penultimate game before she served out to win it comfortably in 27 minutes.

Halep won virtually all of the long rallies, but Bencic reacted well at the start of the second set, playing more aggressively.

Bencic broke to go 3-1 up, enjoying a stroke of luck with a shot that clipped the net and dropped just over.

Halep battled back, earning a tiebreak, but Bencic won it comfortably to force a deciding set, although she immediately started to struggle.

At three games down, she cried during the changeover, with Halep immediately breaking for 4-0 when play resumed, going on to wrap up the set and the match with ease.

"It's a nice feeling to be back in the final of this special tournament, I'm really happy playing here," said Halep.

"In the second set in that tiebreak I was rushing too much, I lost control of it, but then I just calmed down, told myself I had to start the match again.

"I started to play smarter, opened the court more and became more aggressive."

Bertens had to save three set points against Stephens but eventually recorded her first victory against the American in their third encounter.

The Dutch world number seven triumphed in St Petersburg this season and is going for her ninth career title on Saturday.

"I feel unbelievable of course, it's great to be in the final and I'm happy to finish it in two (sets)," said Bertens.

"It's going to be really tough (against Halep), we played each other in the past so I know it will be a tough battle, but I'm ready for it, one more push here."

Simona Halep reached her fourth Madrid Open final with a 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-0 win over Belinda Bencic on Friday and will face last year's runner up Kiki Bertens, who beat Sloane Stephens 6-2, 7-5.

Simona Halep reached her fourth Madrid Open final with a 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-0 win over Belinda Bencic on Friday and will face last year's runner up Kiki Bertens, who beat Sloane Stephens 6-2, 7-5. World number three Halep can move back to the top of the WTA rankings with a win in Saturday's final. Twice Madrid winner Halep broke the unseeded Bencic in the first game of the first set, the Swiss's errant backhand flying out, but she broke back to tie at 2-2. The Romanian broke for a 3-2 lead and a down-the-line shot sealed another break in the penultimate game before she served out to win it comfortably in 27 minutes. Halep won virtually all of the long rallies, but Bencic reacted well at the start of the second set, playing more aggressively. Bencic broke to go 3-1 up, enjoying a stroke of luck with a shot that clipped the net and dropped just over. Halep battled back, earning a tiebreak, but Bencic won it comfortably to force a deciding set, although she immediately started to struggle. At three games down, she cried during the changeover, with Halep immediately breaking for 4-0 when play resumed, going on to wrap up the set and the match with ease. "It's a nice feeling to be back in the final of this special tournament, I'm really happy playing here," said Halep. "In the second set in that tiebreak I was rushing too much, I lost control of it, but then I just calmed down, told myself I had to start the match again. "I started to play smarter, opened the court more and became more aggressive." Bertens had to save three set points against Stephens but eventually recorded her first victory against the American in their third encounter. The Dutch world number seven triumphed in St Petersburg this season and is going for her ninth career title on Saturday. "I feel unbelievable of course, it's great to be in the final and I'm happy to finish it in two (sets)," said Bertens. "It's going to be really tough (against Halep), we played each other in the past so I know it will be a tough battle, but I'm ready for it, one more push here."

Simona Halep to face Kiki Bertens in Madrid Open final

Former world no. 1 Justine Henin won 7 Grand Slam titles in a five year span from 2003 to 2007. Four of them came on the iconic clay courts of Roland Garros including three in a row from 2005 to 2007. On a visit to India as an ambassador for the French Open, Henin spoke exclusively to WION - reflecting on her remarkable career, analysing the current state of women's tennis and picking her players to watch out for at the 2019 French Open.

WION Exclusive with Tennis Legend Justine Henin

Romanian tennis player Simona Halep has moved up to close on world number one Naomi Osaka of Japan in the latest updated Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings.

Halep who appeared in the Miami Open semi-final last week displaced Czech's Petra Kvitova after the latter lost to Ashleigh Barty of Australia in the final.

The Romanian with 5782 points has reduced the lead with number one Osaka, who has retained 6021 points, to attain number two spot.

Petra Kvitova (5645), Karolina Pliskova (5580) of Czech Republic and Germany's Angelique Kerber (5165), Dutch's Kiki Bertens (5050), Ukraine's Elina Svitolina (5020), Sloane Stephens of America (4287), Australia's Ashleigh Barty (4275) and Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka (3595) completed the top 10.

Bertens at number six obtained a new career-high ranking. She is now just one spot away to earn the highest ever ranking achieved by a Dutchwoman -- Betty Stove's world number five peak in 1977.&nbsp;

Barty at number nine has become the 10th player from her country to achieve the feat following her brilliant victory at the Miami Open.

Romanian tennis player Simona Halep has moved up to close on world number one Naomi Osaka of Japan in the latest updated Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings.

Romanian tennis player Simona Halep has moved up to close on world number one Naomi Osaka of Japan in the latest updated Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings. Halep who appeared in the Miami Open semi-final last week displaced Czech's Petra Kvitova after the latter lost to Ashleigh Barty of Australia in the final. The Romanian with 5782 points has reduced the lead with number one Osaka, who has retained 6021 points, to attain number two spot. Petra Kvitova (5645), Karolina Pliskova (5580) of Czech Republic and Germany's Angelique Kerber (5165), Dutch's Kiki Bertens (5050), Ukraine's Elina Svitolina (5020), Sloane Stephens of America (4287), Australia's Ashleigh Barty (4275) and Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka (3595) completed the top 10. Bertens at number six obtained a new career-high ranking. She is now just one spot away to earn the highest ever ranking achieved by a Dutchwoman -- Betty Stove's world number five peak in 1977. Barty at number nine has become the 10th player from her country to achieve the feat following her brilliant victory at the Miami Open.

WTA rankings: Simona Halep closes on world no.1 Naomi Osaka

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=Simona+Halep">Simona Halep</a> overcame a hiccup in the second set to secure a 6-4, 7-5 Miami Open quarter-final victory over China's Wang Qiang on Wednesday, putting the Romanian one win away from reclaiming the world's top ranking from Naomi Osaka.

Standing in her way will be <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=Karolina+Pliskova">Karolina Pliskova</a>, who endured a blip of her own in the second set before defeating Marketa Vondrousova 6-3, 6-4 in the evening session.

Halep broke Wang three times to race into a 4-1 lead before closing out the first set when she cut off the angle on a short forehand and blasted a winner into the open court.

But Wang came out firing in the second set, breaking Halep three times and holding to love in back-to-back service games to build a 5-1 lead.

The second seed stormed back but Wang nearly forced a third set when she quickly jumped out to 0-40 in the 10th game, only for the Romanian's confident net play to get her out of the jam.

Halep then went on to wrap up the win over 18th-seeded Wang in 89 minutes and match her best effort in Miami, which came in 2015 when she lost to Serena Williams in the semis.

"Playing again in the semi-finals is going to be a big challenge. And maybe I can do my best result here and play in the final," Halep said on court. "It's going to be a big match in the next round."

Halep is the highest seed left in the draw following Osaka's third-round exit and she said that while she is aware she can reclaim top spot in the rankings it is not something she is overly concerned about.

"If I play well, if I play my best tennis, I have a better chance to become number one again," said Halep. "But it's not in my mind. I just want to find my rhythm, to find my level and just play as good as possible."

Halep will have her hands full when she battles the towering Pliskova on Thursday.

The Czech won six of the final seven games against the aggressive Vondrousova thanks to solid defence, an overpowering forehand and booming serve.

The fifth seed, who lost her last meeting with Halep, a three-setter at last month's Fed Cup, could potentially reach world number two by winning the tournament.

Recent form does not bode well for her, however.

"I practiced with Simona before the Miami Open and I lost 0-6," she said.

"So it can only get better."

Simona Halep overcame a hiccup in the second set to secure a 6-4, 7-5 Miami Open quarter-final victory over China's Wang Qiang on Wednesday, putting the Romanian one win away from reclaiming the world's top ranking from Naomi Osaka.

Simona Halep overcame a hiccup in the second set to secure a 6-4, 7-5 Miami Open quarter-final victory over China's Wang Qiang on Wednesday, putting the Romanian one win away from reclaiming the world's top ranking from Naomi Osaka. Standing in her way will be Karolina Pliskova, who endured a blip of her own in the second set before defeating Marketa Vondrousova 6-3, 6-4 in the evening session. Halep broke Wang three times to race into a 4-1 lead before closing out the first set when she cut off the angle on a short forehand and blasted a winner into the open court. But Wang came out firing in the second set, breaking Halep three times and holding to love in back-to-back service games to build a 5-1 lead. The second seed stormed back but Wang nearly forced a third set when she quickly jumped out to 0-40 in the 10th game, only for the Romanian's confident net play to get her out of the jam. Halep then went on to wrap up the win over 18th-seeded Wang in 89 minutes and match her best effort in Miami, which came in 2015 when she lost to Serena Williams in the semis. "Playing again in the semi-finals is going to be a big challenge. And maybe I can do my best result here and play in the final," Halep said on court. "It's going to be a big match in the next round." Halep is the highest seed left in the draw following Osaka's third-round exit and she said that while she is aware she can reclaim top spot in the rankings it is not something she is overly concerned about. "If I play well, if I play my best tennis, I have a better chance to become number one again," said Halep. "But it's not in my mind. I just want to find my rhythm, to find my level and just play as good as possible." Halep will have her hands full when she battles the towering Pliskova on Thursday. The Czech won six of the final seven games against the aggressive Vondrousova thanks to solid defence, an overpowering forehand and booming serve. The fifth seed, who lost her last meeting with Halep, a three-setter at last month's Fed Cup, could potentially reach world number two by winning the tournament. Recent form does not bode well for her, however. "I practiced with Simona before the Miami Open and I lost 0-6," she said. "So it can only get better."

Miami Open: Simona Halep sees off Wang Qiang, will face Karolina Pliskova in semis

Naomi Osaka followed Simona Halep through the exit door at the BNP Paribas Open on Tuesday as the top two players in the world were sent packing in the fourth round at Indian Wells.

World number one Osaka never found her rhythm against Belinda Bencic as the Swiss used her precise groundstrokes and pinpoint serving to topple the defending champion 6-3 6-1 in just over an hour.

The 22-year-old Bencic, who has risen as high as world number seven before missing time with injuries, hit a forehand volley on match point to seal the win and send her into the quarter-finals.

"I was really happy with the performance," Bencic told Tennis Channel. "It wasn't as easy as the result is saying and I didn't expect it like that, so definitely happy."

Bencic, the world number 23, has made a habit of upending top 10 players of late, defeating four en route to winning the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships last month.

She will have another shot at a top-10 player when she takes on hard-hitting world number five Karolina Pliskova, who smashed 13 aces to dispatch Anett Kontaveit 7-6(0) 4-6 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals.

Osaka's loss ended a bad day for world number ones after the men's top player, Serb Novak Djokovic, fell 6-4 6-4 to Philipp Kohlschreiber.

Earlier in the day, Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova ran Halep ragged before dumping the Romanian out of the tournament 6-2 3-6 6-2.

Halep, who received medical treatment for blisters on her foot during the match, won less than half of her first-service points and hit just six winners to go with 36 unforced errors.

"I was running too much and too defensive," the Romanian told reporters. "But it's everything I could do today."

Halep's loss ensured Osaka will retain her number one ranking after the tournament.

The win was 19-year-old Vondrousova's first over a top-10 player in six attempts.

"I think I'm playing well all week but this is something special because she's number two in the world," Vondrousova said. "I was just fighting for every point."

Another teenager, unseeded Canadian Bianca Andreescu, upset 18th seed Wang Qiang of China 7-5 6-2 to book her place in the quarters. The win was the 18-year-old Andreescu's 25th of the year, the most of any WTA player.

She will next face Garbine Muguruza after the Spaniard battled back to dispatch Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands 5-7 6-1 6-4.

Ukrainian Elina Svitolina came from a break down in the third set to defeat Australian Ashleigh Barty 7-6(8) 5-7 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals for the first time.

Naomi Osaka followed Simona Halep through the exit door at the BNP Paribas Open on Tuesday as the top two players in the world were sent packing in the fourth round at Indian Wells.

Naomi Osaka followed Simona Halep through the exit door at the BNP Paribas Open on Tuesday as the top two players in the world were sent packing in the fourth round at Indian Wells. World number one Osaka never found her rhythm against Belinda Bencic as the Swiss used her precise groundstrokes and pinpoint serving to topple the defending champion 6-3 6-1 in just over an hour. The 22-year-old Bencic, who has risen as high as world number seven before missing time with injuries, hit a forehand volley on match point to seal the win and send her into the quarter-finals. "I was really happy with the performance," Bencic told Tennis Channel. "It wasn't as easy as the result is saying and I didn't expect it like that, so definitely happy." Bencic, the world number 23, has made a habit of upending top 10 players of late, defeating four en route to winning the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships last month. She will have another shot at a top-10 player when she takes on hard-hitting world number five Karolina Pliskova, who smashed 13 aces to dispatch Anett Kontaveit 7-6(0) 4-6 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals. Osaka's loss ended a bad day for world number ones after the men's top player, Serb Novak Djokovic, fell 6-4 6-4 to Philipp Kohlschreiber. Earlier in the day, Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova ran Halep ragged before dumping the Romanian out of the tournament 6-2 3-6 6-2. Halep, who received medical treatment for blisters on her foot during the match, won less than half of her first-service points and hit just six winners to go with 36 unforced errors. "I was running too much and too defensive," the Romanian told reporters. "But it's everything I could do today." Halep's loss ensured Osaka will retain her number one ranking after the tournament. The win was 19-year-old Vondrousova's first over a top-10 player in six attempts. "I think I'm playing well all week but this is something special because she's number two in the world," Vondrousova said. "I was just fighting for every point." Another teenager, unseeded Canadian Bianca Andreescu, upset 18th seed Wang Qiang of China 7-5 6-2 to book her place in the quarters. The win was the 18-year-old Andreescu's 25th of the year, the most of any WTA player. She will next face Garbine Muguruza after the Spaniard battled back to dispatch Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands 5-7 6-1 6-4. Ukrainian Elina Svitolina came from a break down in the third set to defeat Australian Ashleigh Barty 7-6(8) 5-7 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals for the first time.

Naomi Osaka, Simona Halep sent packing from Indian Wells

World number two Simona Halep survived a tough challenge from Ukrainian qualifier Kateryna Kozlova to win their third round match 7-6(3), 7-5 at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, on Sunday.

The Romanian finally put away the 114th ranked Kozlova with eight consecutive points in the second set, a backhand winner proving the decider just as it had in the first set.

"It was difficult for me to close out those sets," Halep told reporters, praising Kozlova.

"When I was leading the match, she played without fear."

The victory advanced the French Open champion, who won Indian Wells in 2015, to the fourth round for the fifth time in six years.

The meeting was the first between the pair and featured big momentum swings.

After Kozlova claimed a 3-2 advantage in the first set, Halep won three consecutive games to go to set point at 5-3 on Kozlova's serve.

With the former world number one's groundstrokes failing her, Kozlova reeled off 11 of the next 12 points, breaking back for 5-5 with a forehand winner.

Halep finally won the set on her third opportunity with another trademark backhand down the line.

The Romanian took four successive games for a 5-2 lead in the second set, but Kozlova again rallied to even the match at 5-5 before Halep reeled off the eight straight points to seal the win.

World number two Simona Halep survived a tough challenge from Ukrainian qualifier Kateryna Kozlova to win their third round match 7-6(3), 7-5 at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, on Sunday.

World number two Simona Halep survived a tough challenge from Ukrainian qualifier Kateryna Kozlova to win their third round match 7-6(3), 7-5 at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, on Sunday. The Romanian finally put away the 114th ranked Kozlova with eight consecutive points in the second set, a backhand winner proving the decider just as it had in the first set. "It was difficult for me to close out those sets," Halep told reporters, praising Kozlova. "When I was leading the match, she played without fear." The victory advanced the French Open champion, who won Indian Wells in 2015, to the fourth round for the fifth time in six years. The meeting was the first between the pair and featured big momentum swings. After Kozlova claimed a 3-2 advantage in the first set, Halep won three consecutive games to go to set point at 5-3 on Kozlova's serve. With the former world number one's groundstrokes failing her, Kozlova reeled off 11 of the next 12 points, breaking back for 5-5 with a forehand winner. Halep finally won the set on her third opportunity with another trademark backhand down the line. The Romanian took four successive games for a 5-2 lead in the second set, but Kozlova again rallied to even the match at 5-5 before Halep reeled off the eight straight points to seal the win.

Simona Halep claims tough win over qualifier Kateryna Kozlova

Belgium's Elise Mertens claimed the biggest win of her career on Saturday, surprisingly coming from a set down to beat world number three Simona Halep and clinch the Qatar Open.

The world number 21 won 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, despite being outclassed in the first set, overcoming an eight-minute medical timeout for back pain in the second set, and losing 18 consecutive points at one stage in the match.

"It's a big moment for me, getting that victory," said a jubilant Mertens, 23, afterwards.

"I think this one would be, especially also with my tennis I played, the nicest one, nicest victory."&nbsp;

Her win, in a little over two hours, was her third victory over a top ten player in Doha this week, and her second over a Grand Slam champion.

Halep is the reigning French Open champion and Angelique Kerber, who she beat in the semi-finals, holds the Wimbledon title.

Qatar is the fifth title of Mertens' career but notably her first at a Premier-level event. She said it outshone her achievement in getting to the Australian Open semi-finals in 2018.

Mertens started nervously, lost her opening service game, and the first set in just 32 minutes.

At 2-0 down in the second, it looked like it was going to turn into a routine victory for Halep.

"I couldn't say I was really nervous," she added, "but I think my shots went long. "So, I really had to accelerate a little bit better to keep it in the court."&nbsp;

Mertens broke back, then called for medical attention and was the stronger player for the remainder of the game.

She could rise as high number 16 in the next rankings because of her victory in Doha.&nbsp;

Coincidentally her ranking of 21 coming into the tournament was exactly the same as last year's winner in Doha, Petra Kvitova.

'I didn't have a chance'&nbsp;

A clearly fading Halep, who played in the Fed Cup last weekend when she led Romania into the semi-finals for the first time, also called for medical assistance for treatment to a blister on her right foot.

"I was really tired in the third set, I couldn't have the chance to win this match," said Halep, who won the Qatar title in 2014.

"I had to be 100% to be able to win such a big match. But she deserved to win, she was stronger, she was fresher. I'm not making a drama."&nbsp;

Halep added that she "needed rest", but would definitely play in Dubai next week. Despite her defeat, the Romanian will head back to number two in the rankings on the back of her performances in Doha.&nbsp;

Belgium's Elise Mertens claimed the biggest win of her career on Saturday, surprisingly coming from a set down to beat world number three Simona Halep and clinch the Qatar Open.

Belgium's Elise Mertens claimed the biggest win of her career on Saturday, surprisingly coming from a set down to beat world number three Simona Halep and clinch the Qatar Open. The world number 21 won 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, despite being outclassed in the first set, overcoming an eight-minute medical timeout for back pain in the second set, and losing 18 consecutive points at one stage in the match. "It's a big moment for me, getting that victory," said a jubilant Mertens, 23, afterwards. "I think this one would be, especially also with my tennis I played, the nicest one, nicest victory." Her win, in a little over two hours, was her third victory over a top ten player in Doha this week, and her second over a Grand Slam champion. Halep is the reigning French Open champion and Angelique Kerber, who she beat in the semi-finals, holds the Wimbledon title. Qatar is the fifth title of Mertens' career but notably her first at a Premier-level event. She said it outshone her achievement in getting to the Australian Open semi-finals in 2018. Mertens started nervously, lost her opening service game, and the first set in just 32 minutes. At 2-0 down in the second, it looked like it was going to turn into a routine victory for Halep. "I couldn't say I was really nervous," she added, "but I think my shots went long. "So, I really had to accelerate a little bit better to keep it in the court." Mertens broke back, then called for medical attention and was the stronger player for the remainder of the game. She could rise as high number 16 in the next rankings because of her victory in Doha. Coincidentally her ranking of 21 coming into the tournament was exactly the same as last year's winner in Doha, Petra Kvitova. 'I didn't have a chance' A clearly fading Halep, who played in the Fed Cup last weekend when she led Romania into the semi-finals for the first time, also called for medical assistance for treatment to a blister on her right foot. "I was really tired in the third set, I couldn't have the chance to win this match," said Halep, who won the Qatar title in 2014. "I had to be 100% to be able to win such a big match. But she deserved to win, she was stronger, she was fresher. I'm not making a drama." Halep added that she "needed rest", but would definitely play in Dubai next week. Despite her defeat, the Romanian will head back to number two in the rankings on the back of her performances in Doha.

Belgium's Mertens shrugs off back pain to beat Simona Halep for Qatar Open title

Top seed Simona Halep came back from 4-1 down in the deciding set to beat Elina Svitolina 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in the Qatar Open semi-final on Friday, marking her first victory over the Ukrainian in nearly two years.

Halep made an aggressive start and claimed an early break with a scorching backhand winner to set the tone for the evening.

The Romanian clinched the opening set before WTA Finals champion Svitolina upped her aggression from the baseline to snatch a break for 2-1 lead in the second set.

After bagging the second set, Svitolina claimed an early break again in the final set, while also frustrating her opponent with her relentless court coverage.

Seeking another break of serve to close out the match, Svitolina came out on top in several high-octane rallies during an eight-minute sixth game and held three break points for a 5-1 lead in the final set.

But Halep summoned her powers of recovery to fend off all three points and went on to clinch five straight games en route a remarkable victory.

Halep last defeated Svitolina in the 2017 French Open quarter-finals, and since then had not won a set in their following three encounters.

The 2014 Doha champion was pleased to set the record straight to move into her first final of the season.

"I'm happy because I didn't give up... The two finals that I played against her in Rome I gave up and I was not ready to fight," said Halep, who will face unseeded Belgian Elise Mertens in Saturday's final.

"Now I change that, and it makes me happier, because I showed myself that I'm able to do that."

"The mental part is really important... but definitely today I was stronger physically as well, because against Svitolina (it) is never easy to win a match. She's very strong on the legs."

Mertens scored her second top 10 victory of the week as she battled past three-times Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber 6-4, 2-6, 6-1.

Mertens, who defeated fifth seed Kiki Bertens in the quarter-final, has failed to win a set against Halep in her previous two meetings -- both on clay last year.

Top seed Simona Halep came back from 4-1 down in the deciding set to beat Elina Svitolina 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in the Qatar Open semi-final on Friday, marking her first victory over the Ukrainian in nearly two years.

Top seed Simona Halep came back from 4-1 down in the deciding set to beat Elina Svitolina 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in the Qatar Open semi-final on Friday, marking her first victory over the Ukrainian in nearly two years. Halep made an aggressive start and claimed an early break with a scorching backhand winner to set the tone for the evening. The Romanian clinched the opening set before WTA Finals champion Svitolina upped her aggression from the baseline to snatch a break for 2-1 lead in the second set. After bagging the second set, Svitolina claimed an early break again in the final set, while also frustrating her opponent with her relentless court coverage. Seeking another break of serve to close out the match, Svitolina came out on top in several high-octane rallies during an eight-minute sixth game and held three break points for a 5-1 lead in the final set. But Halep summoned her powers of recovery to fend off all three points and went on to clinch five straight games en route a remarkable victory. Halep last defeated Svitolina in the 2017 French Open quarter-finals, and since then had not won a set in their following three encounters. The 2014 Doha champion was pleased to set the record straight to move into her first final of the season. "I'm happy because I didn't give up... The two finals that I played against her in Rome I gave up and I was not ready to fight," said Halep, who will face unseeded Belgian Elise Mertens in Saturday's final. "Now I change that, and it makes me happier, because I showed myself that I'm able to do that." "The mental part is really important... but definitely today I was stronger physically as well, because against Svitolina (it) is never easy to win a match. She's very strong on the legs." Mertens scored her second top 10 victory of the week as she battled past three-times Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber 6-4, 2-6, 6-1. Mertens, who defeated fifth seed Kiki Bertens in the quarter-final, has failed to win a set against Halep in her previous two meetings -- both on clay last year.

Simona Halep outlasts Elina Svitolina in Doha thriller, faces Mertens in final

Top seed Simona Halep eased into the Qatar Open quarter-finals with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko on Wednesday.

Fresh from helping Romania reach their first Fed Cup semi-final, Halep made a blistering start by racing into a 5-0 lead in the opening set.

She held off a brief challenge from Tsurenko in the second set before reeling off the last five games of the match to improve her head-to-head record against her opponent to 6-0.

World number three Halep, who received a bye in the opening round, will next face ninth seed Julia Goerges.

The German battled past American lucky loser Alison Riske 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-4 in a marathon encounter, recovering from 4-2 down in the final set.

Fourth seed Elina Svitolina began her campaign with a 6-4, 6-4 win over 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, avenging her two previous losses to the Latvian.

A neck injury has hampered the Ukrainian, who was playing her first match since the Australian Open quarter-final defeat by eventual champion Naomi Osaka of Japan in January.

"I have been struggling since the Australian Open with my neck," Svitolina said after the match.

"It depends... on the practice, on the match, what I have, so it's tough to tell how I'm going to feel tomorrow, but every single day I try to get a treatment, I try to get some work done, and, you know, it's just a process."

There were moments in the match when Ostapenko was unplayable as she unleashed aggressive forehands from the baseline to recover from early breaks of serve in both sets.

But Svitolina maintained her service rhythm to ensure she controlled the match in the critical moments and went on to convert five break points en route a convincing victory.

"The ball is flying and the wind is very tricky, so I had to be extremely quick with my feet. In the end I was very pleased that I could finish in two sets," added Svitolina, who will meet Czech qualifier Karolina Muchova in the quarter-finals.

Earlier on Wednesday, Czech Karolina Pliskova was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to a viral illness.

The 2017 Doha champion is the fifth withdrawal since the draw was made following Danish sixth seed Caroline Wozniacki (viral illness) and France's Caroline Garcia (leg injury).

Top seed Simona Halep eased into the Qatar Open quarter-finals with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko on Wednesday. Fresh from helping Romania reach their first Fed Cup semi-final, Halep made a blistering start by racing into a 5-0 lead in the opening set.

Top seed Simona Halep eased into the Qatar Open quarter-finals with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko on Wednesday. Fresh from helping Romania reach their first Fed Cup semi-final, Halep made a blistering start by racing into a 5-0 lead in the opening set. She held off a brief challenge from Tsurenko in the second set before reeling off the last five games of the match to improve her head-to-head record against her opponent to 6-0. World number three Halep, who received a bye in the opening round, will next face ninth seed Julia Goerges. The German battled past American lucky loser Alison Riske 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-4 in a marathon encounter, recovering from 4-2 down in the final set. Fourth seed Elina Svitolina began her campaign with a 6-4, 6-4 win over 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, avenging her two previous losses to the Latvian. A neck injury has hampered the Ukrainian, who was playing her first match since the Australian Open quarter-final defeat by eventual champion Naomi Osaka of Japan in January. "I have been struggling since the Australian Open with my neck," Svitolina said after the match. "It depends... on the practice, on the match, what I have, so it's tough to tell how I'm going to feel tomorrow, but every single day I try to get a treatment, I try to get some work done, and, you know, it's just a process." There were moments in the match when Ostapenko was unplayable as she unleashed aggressive forehands from the baseline to recover from early breaks of serve in both sets. But Svitolina maintained her service rhythm to ensure she controlled the match in the critical moments and went on to convert five break points en route a convincing victory. "The ball is flying and the wind is very tricky, so I had to be extremely quick with my feet. In the end I was very pleased that I could finish in two sets," added Svitolina, who will meet Czech qualifier Karolina Muchova in the quarter-finals. Earlier on Wednesday, Czech Karolina Pliskova was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to a viral illness. The 2017 Doha champion is the fifth withdrawal since the draw was made following Danish sixth seed Caroline Wozniacki (viral illness) and France's Caroline Garcia (leg injury).

Simona Halep, Elina Svitolina cruise into Qatar Open quarters

Former world number one Simona Halep has appointed Thierry Van Cleemput as her new coach and will officially begin working with the Belgian at next week's Qatar Open.

Halep had planned to fly solo for the first few months of 2019 after former coach Darren Cahill left to spend more time with his family in Australia.

French Open champion Halep began speaking with Van Cleemput at last month's Australian Open after he split with world number 21 David Goffin midway through the tournament, according to a report on the WTA website.

Van Cleemput had worked with his compatriot for the last five years, overseeing Goffin's rise to the top-10.

World number three Halep, whose pre-season was shortened due to a back issue, made the fourth round at Melbourne Park where she lost to American Serena Williams in three sets.

Halep will represent Romania in their Fed Cup tie against Czech Republic in Ostrava this weekend before tournaments in Doha and Dubai.

Former world number one Simona Halep has appointed Thierry Van Cleemput as her new coach and will officially begin working with the Belgian at next week's Qatar Open.

Former world number one Simona Halep has appointed Thierry Van Cleemput as her new coach and will officially begin working with the Belgian at next week's Qatar Open. Halep had planned to fly solo for the first few months of 2019 after former coach Darren Cahill left to spend more time with his family in Australia. French Open champion Halep began speaking with Van Cleemput at last month's Australian Open after he split with world number 21 David Goffin midway through the tournament, according to a report on the WTA website. Van Cleemput had worked with his compatriot for the last five years, overseeing Goffin's rise to the top-10. World number three Halep, whose pre-season was shortened due to a back issue, made the fourth round at Melbourne Park where she lost to American Serena Williams in three sets. Halep will represent Romania in their Fed Cup tie against Czech Republic in Ostrava this weekend before tournaments in Doha and Dubai.

Simona Halep appoints Belgian Van Cleemput as new coach

In pictures: Day 8 highlights of Australian Open

Serena Williams on Monday defeated Romanian tennis star and current world no 1 Simona Halep 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 to cruise into the quarter-final of the Australian Open.

Williams clinched the first set in the blink of an eye. It was a spectacular set from the 16th seed and she took just 20 minutes to make the world No1 look very ordinary indeed.

However, she failed to continue her dominance in the second set. Halep clinched the second set while lost the third.

Talking about her performance against Halep, Williams said, "It was an intense match and there were some incredible points. But I love playing tennis. It’s really cool to be back out playing on this court. I really needed to elevate my game. She’s the number one player in the world. I’m such a fighter. I just never give up. It’s definitely something that’s innate. It’s a miracle I’m here and I get to do something I enjoy. This is my job and it’s a super pleasure. That keeps me motivated and keep fighting for every point." &nbsp;

By virtue of this win, Williams will next face Karolina Pliskova in the quarter-finals. The seventh seed Pliskova defeated Williams in the US Open in 2016 - but Williams turned the tables on the Czech at Flushing Meadows last year.&nbsp;

The American will start as the heavy favourite, though Pliskova will have a chance with her big serve.

Serena Williams on Monday defeated Romanian tennis star and current world no 1 Simona Halep 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 to cruise into the quarter-final of the Australian Open.

Serena Williams on Monday defeated Romanian tennis star and current world no 1 Simona Halep 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 to cruise into the quarter-final of the Australian Open. Williams clinched the first set in the blink of an eye. It was a spectacular set from the 16th seed and she took just 20 minutes to make the world No1 look very ordinary indeed. However, she failed to continue her dominance in the second set. Halep clinched the second set while lost the third. Talking about her performance against Halep, Williams said, "It was an intense match and there were some incredible points. But I love playing tennis. It’s really cool to be back out playing on this court. I really needed to elevate my game. She’s the number one player in the world. I’m such a fighter. I just never give up. It’s definitely something that’s innate. It’s a miracle I’m here and I get to do something I enjoy. This is my job and it’s a super pleasure. That keeps me motivated and keep fighting for every point." By virtue of this win, Williams will next face Karolina Pliskova in the quarter-finals. The seventh seed Pliskova defeated Williams in the US Open in 2016 - but Williams turned the tables on the Czech at Flushing Meadows last year. The American will start as the heavy favourite, though Pliskova will have a chance with her big serve.

Serena Williams upsets World no1. Halep in three sets at Australian Open

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/top-seed-simona-halep-marches-on-with-clinical-win-over-venus-williams-in-melbourne-191412">Simona Halep might be the current number one </a>in women's tennis but the Romanian believes the best player in the world will be awaiting her when she takes on Serena Williams in the fourth round of the Australian Open.

The 37-year-old American took a year off after the birth of her daughter Alexis Olympia in September 2017, before returning to action last season when she reached the finals at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

Serena was eight weeks pregnant when she won the last of her 23 Grand Slam titles at Melbourne Park and, though she has played selective tournaments since motherhood, the American is still the player to beat in the women's draw at Grand Slams.

French Open champion Halep has topped the rankings since October, 2017.

"In my opinion, to be number one in the world and to be the best player in the world, it's a little bit different," Halep told reporters on Saturday after a 6-2 6-3 third-round win against the older Williams sister, Venus.&nbsp;

"In this moment, I`m number one in the world, so I will take that. I feel like I have been there many months, many weeks.

"But for sure she's the best player in the world because she won so many Grand Slams. She's been a lot on number one. I cannot compare my results to her. But in this moment, I'm confident that I`m in this position, and I'm positive about it."

HUGE CHALLENGE

The losses in the finals in London and New York left Serena, who is seeded 16th at Melbourne Park, still seeking a 24th Grand Slam singles title to equal Margaret Court's all-time record.

She has lost only nine games this week in her first three rounds.

"I only beat her once in my life, so I cannot say much about this match," Halep said, referring to her nine overall meetings with Serena.&nbsp;

"Just that it's going to be a huge challenge for me. It's always great to play against Serena because every time I have to learn something from the match."

Halep admitted that she used to be intimidated by Serena when she was younger but said the "great champion" will be just another opponent in the last 16 clash.

"I'm used to this pressure. I'm used to facing her," Halep said. "I'm in a good position. I feel confident. I played very well today. But that doesn't mean it's going to be the same against her.

"Definitely it's the toughest draw I've ever had... it's a huge challenge. Every time I face the (Williams) sisters is a big challenge for me. I just want to try to play my best tennis because I have nothing to lose against them."

Simona Halep might be the current number one in women's tennis but the Romanian believes the best player in the world will be awaiting her when she takes on Serena Williams in the fourth round of the Australian Open.

Simona Halep might be the current number one in women's tennis but the Romanian believes the best player in the world will be awaiting her when she takes on Serena Williams in the fourth round of the Australian Open. The 37-year-old American took a year off after the birth of her daughter Alexis Olympia in September 2017, before returning to action last season when she reached the finals at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Serena was eight weeks pregnant when she won the last of her 23 Grand Slam titles at Melbourne Park and, though she has played selective tournaments since motherhood, the American is still the player to beat in the women's draw at Grand Slams. French Open champion Halep has topped the rankings since October, 2017. "In my opinion, to be number one in the world and to be the best player in the world, it's a little bit different," Halep told reporters on Saturday after a 6-2 6-3 third-round win against the older Williams sister, Venus. "In this moment, I`m number one in the world, so I will take that. I feel like I have been there many months, many weeks. "But for sure she's the best player in the world because she won so many Grand Slams. She's been a lot on number one. I cannot compare my results to her. But in this moment, I'm confident that I`m in this position, and I'm positive about it." HUGE CHALLENGE The losses in the finals in London and New York left Serena, who is seeded 16th at Melbourne Park, still seeking a 24th Grand Slam singles title to equal Margaret Court's all-time record. She has lost only nine games this week in her first three rounds. "I only beat her once in my life, so I cannot say much about this match," Halep said, referring to her nine overall meetings with Serena. "Just that it's going to be a huge challenge for me. It's always great to play against Serena because every time I have to learn something from the match." Halep admitted that she used to be intimidated by Serena when she was younger but said the "great champion" will be just another opponent in the last 16 clash. "I'm used to this pressure. I'm used to facing her," Halep said. "I'm in a good position. I feel confident. I played very well today. But that doesn't mean it's going to be the same against her. "Definitely it's the toughest draw I've ever had... it's a huge challenge. Every time I face the (Williams) sisters is a big challenge for me. I just want to try to play my best tennis because I have nothing to lose against them."

Australian Open: World no.1 Simona Halep geared up for best player Serena Williams

Top seed Simona Halep had the odds stacked against her ahead of the Australian Open but the Romanian proved her title credentials with a breezy 6-2 6-3 third-round win over multiple Grand Slam winner Venus Williams on Saturday.

The reward for the 27-year-old French Open champion is probably the toughest challenge in the women's draw at Melbourne Park, a fourth-round date with the younger Williams sister, Serena.

Coming to the year's first Grand Slam on a five-match losing streak and without a coach, Halep had to grind her way through the first two rounds with tough three-set wins.

She started positively against Venus, though, and broke her twice to take the first set.

Venus showed more fight in the second and there was an early trade of breaks before Halep broke again to go 4-3 up before converting her first match point with a forehand winner down the line.

Top seed Simona Halep had the odds stacked against her ahead of the Australian Open but the Romanian proved her title credentials with a breezy 6-2 6-3 third-round win over multiple Grand Slam winner Venus Williams on Saturday.

Top seed Simona Halep had the odds stacked against her ahead of the Australian Open but the Romanian proved her title credentials with a breezy 6-2 6-3 third-round win over multiple Grand Slam winner Venus Williams on Saturday. The reward for the 27-year-old French Open champion is probably the toughest challenge in the women's draw at Melbourne Park, a fourth-round date with the younger Williams sister, Serena. Coming to the year's first Grand Slam on a five-match losing streak and without a coach, Halep had to grind her way through the first two rounds with tough three-set wins. She started positively against Venus, though, and broke her twice to take the first set. Venus showed more fight in the second and there was an early trade of breaks before Halep broke again to go 4-3 up before converting her first match point with a forehand winner down the line.

Top seed Simona Halep marches on with clinical win over  Venus Williams in Melbourne

In pics: Highlights of Day 4 of the Australian Open

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