MELBOURNE (Australia): World No.2 Simona Halep dispatched French Open champion Iga Swiatek 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 at the Australian Open on Sunday.
The Romanian was thrashed by the 19-year-old at Roland Garros last year, winning just three games, but turned the tide in one hour and 50 minutes at a crowd-less Rod Laver Arena.
“I thought before the match that I have to be a little bit more aggressive than in Paris. I just expected from myself a better game, which I did, and I’m really happy about that,” said Halep, who now meets Serena Williams in quarterfinals.
Halep said she had put pressure on herself to respond to her French Open flameout, where as the top seed she was pummelled by Swiatek 6-1, 6-2 in 69 minutes in the fourth round.
“The pressure came from the way I played the last match against her,” said Halep.
Halep now faces 23-time Grand Slam champion Williams, who she memorably beat 6-2, 6-2 in the 2019 Wimbledon final.
“I think it was the best day of my life,” said Halep. “I felt very confident back then. I felt every ball. I felt all of my game.”
