Simona Halep’s elation at winning her first match on the WTA Tour since her doping suspension in 2022 was lifted, at the Prudential Hong Kong 125 Open on Thursday, was short-lived as she fell in round 2 to 7th seed Anna Blinkova.
It was a pleasure to play here. It’s the first victory in two years. I feel very tired. I came here because I received a wild-card, I really like it, it’s my first time in the city. Simona Halep
Competing as a wild-card entry, the Romanian former World No 1edged her way past Australia’s Arina Rodinova, 6-2 4-6 6-4, fighting fatigue and match fitness.
“Words cannot describe the feeling of being out there on court competing – and winning my first match after such a long period – in the sport I love,” Halep posted on X (formerly Twitter). “Thank you for all your support and your love, it means the world to me.”
The 2-time Grand Slam champion an ordeal before a successful hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) rescinded the 4-year suspension and allowed her return to the WTA tour.
Halep competed at the 2024 Miami Open, where she lost to Paula Badosa in the opening round, and later entered a Challenger event, the Trophee Clarins in Paris, where she retired from her match against McCartney Kessler in the 1st-round.
In her post-match interview, she expressed her excitement at her first on-court victory, which, no doubt, will boost her confidence.
“It was a pleasure to play here,” she said. “It’s the first victory in two years. I feel very tired. I came here because I received a wild-card, I really like it, it’s my first time in the city.”
Blinkova has had a lukewarm season with early exits, with her best result coming in a quarter-final run at the San Diego Open, where she lost to Jessica Pegula, and at the Bad Homburg Open, where she lost to Viktoriya Tomova.
In the first encounter between the two, it was Blinkova who dominated throughout to score a 6-2 6-1 win over a fatigued Halep, who had not competed on tour for months.
Meanwhile, top-seeded Emma Navarro survived a late challenge from Australia’s Kimberley Birrell, 6-2 6-4, to reach the quarter-final, where the 22 -year old American will take on Blinkova.
Other players still in contention for the title at the WTA 125 event in the Last 8 include No 4 seed Varvara Gracheva, who will meet Suzan Lamens from the Netherlands, while 5th seed McCartney Kessler from the USA takes on Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic, and 6th-seeded Clara Tauson from Denmark encounters Japan’s Nao Hibino.
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