Halep and Muguruza progress into last 8
paris — Most players are reluctant to admit they get shaky on court but not Simona Halep who embraces the nervous energy and is ready to feel all the emotion as she progresses at the French Open.
The world number one has played three Grand Slam finals and lost them all, including two at Roland Garros, and rare are the times when she does not open up about her early match jitters.
On Monday, she blazed into the quarter-final by crushing Belgian Elise Mertens 6-2 6-1.
Spain’s Garbine Muguruza reached the quarterfinals without raising a sweat when her Ukrainian opponent Lesia Tsurenko retired after just two games.
The third seed, bidding for a second title in Paris after her 2016 triumph, was 2-0 ahead when Tsurenko pulled out with an injury.
She will face two-times champion Maria Sharapova for a place in the semis after Sharapova’s opponent, Serena Williams, pulled out before the start of their eagerly-awaited duel.
Earlier, the 26-year-old Romanian started slowly but once she found her groove, there was nothing the 16th seed could do to avoid a one-sided defeat.
“I don’t know how the other players are before the matches, but I think I am very nervous before every match, and this is because I am like this,” said Halep, who will next meet either German Angelique Kerber.
“So I’m not going to fight with myself about that. But I try to improve this thing, and I try to enjoy my nerves, because they are special when you play in a Grand Slam.” —