US Open 2021: Simona beats Kristina, reaches Round 3
New Delhi: Romanian tennis player Simona Halep won her second-round match against Slovakia’s Kristina Kucova in the US Open 2021 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York on Wednesday, advancing into Round 3.
The USTA’s Billie Jean King National Tennis Court witnessed an intense playoff between Halep and Kucova in the Women’s Singles second round match where the two-time Grand Slam champion defeated the Slovakian by 6-3, 6-1.
Halep had a strong start wherein she advanced to 6-3 with her tactful smashes and backhands. Her tactics frustrated Kucova, who tried diverting the match into a deuce but in vain. The second set went entirely in Halep’s favor as she waltzed into victory.
Though Halep has won two Grand Slams, she failed to reach the quarterfinals in 2017 and 2018.
The 12th seed player will now face 9th seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in the third round. Rybakina beat Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia 6-1 6-4.
Halep will play her third-round US Open match for the first time since 2016.
(Avya Mathur)
