Tennis: Simona Halep begins Australian Open victorious

Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, seed no.14, has qualified for the second round of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, after defeating Polish Magdalena Frech by 6 -4, 6-3, on Tuesday, in Melbourne.

Halep (30, WTA's 15) sealed her victory over Frech (24, WTA's 102) after one hour and 29 minutes of playing.

Halep was a finalist in 2018 at the Australian Open and a quarterfinalist at last year's edition.

Simona Halep also won her first direct match with Frech, 6-2, 6-0, in the quarterfinals in Prague, in 2020, on her way to the title.

Halep secured a cheque of 154,000 US dollars and 70 WTA points for her victory in the first round of the competition, and in the second round he will face the winner between Katie Volynets (US) and Beatriz Haddad Maia (Brazil).

Five Romanian players passed the first round of the Grand Slam in Melbourne, Simona Halep, Sorana Cirstea, Irina Begu, Gabriela Ruse and Jaqueline Cristian, with only Irina Bara being eliminated in this round.