Australian Open: Halep into week 2, 5th year in a row
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Melbourne: The Romanian two-time Grand Slam winner Simona Halep has entered week 2 of the Australian Open for the fifth successive year here, Associated Press (AP) reports.
Halep has beaten Montenegrin's Danka Kovinic on Saturday with 6-2 and 6-1, while this was the latter's first appearance in the third round as a major. But 14th seed Halep is experienced in big sports events, winning the French Open in 2018 and Wimbledon in 2019. She has also met finals in the 2018 Australian Open but lost Caroline Wozniacki.
She said that she is feeling good and more confident than last year, which was a tough one. She is the only player remaining in the women's draw who had won 23 tour-level titles. She is going to face France's Alize Cornet next.
In another third-round match, US's 27th seed Danielle Collins beat Denmark's Clara Tauson for 4-6, 6-4, 7-5. Collins will play against Elise Mertens next.
On Saturday, US Open Champion Daniil Medvedev will face 57th ranked Botic van de Zandschulp at Rod Laver Arena. The former is eyeing becoming the first man in the Open era to win his second Grand Slam at a major tournament that immediately follows his first such triumph, AP reports. He was runner-up in the tournament's 2021 edition.