Romania's Halep progresses to China Open 2019 women's singles 2nd round

Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, world number six, on Sunday advanced to the women's singles second round of the 8,285,274-USD China Open WTA tournament in Beijing, after defeating Sweden's Rebecca Peterson 6-1 6-1. Halep, 28, who last week withdrew from the 2019 Wuhan Open tournament with back pain, prevailed over 24-year-old Scandinavian, world number 53, in an hour and 12 minutes. Halep never lost her serve, breaking Peterson's serve five times. Halep had defeated Rebecca Peterson in their first ever meet in the first round of the 2013 Swedish Open 6-4 6-0. For her performance in Beijing, Halep won 41,625 US dollars and 65 WTA singles points. In the second round she will play the winner between Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova, 24, world number 39, and US Bernarda Pera, 24, world number 81. Halep played the 2017 final of the China Open, losing to France's Caroline Garcia, but her semi-final win over Jelena Ostapenko propelled her to world number one for the first time. On the doubles draw, there are two Romanians playing - Monica Niculescu and Raluca Olaru. Niculescu and US Vania King will play in the first round against Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia)/Dayana Yastremska (Ukraine), while Olaru will pair up with American Alison Riske to debut against US duo Sofia Kenin/Bethanie Mattek-Sands. AGERPRES (RO - editor: Mihai Tenea; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu)