Tennis: Healthy Halep heats up to reach last 16 at Australian Open

MELBOURNE (REUTERS, AFP) - Simona Halep continued her rampaging start to the season with a 6-2, 6-1 demolition of Montenegrin trailblazer Danka Kovinic to reach the last 16 of the Australian Open on Saturday (Jan 22).

The 14th-seeded Romanian fired up on a baking hot day at John Cain Arena to completely overpower Kovinic, who had dumped US Open champion Emma Raducanu out in her previous match, becoming her nation's first player to reach the third round of a Grand Slam singles tournament.

After missing Wimbledon and the French Open in an injury-plagued 2021, Halep is now back to peak fitness and has notched eight straight wins, including a warmup title in Melbourne.

"Well, I feel great that I can play the fourth round again," said Halep, who was beaten by Serena Williams in the quarter-finals last year.

"In front of this crowd is always a pleasure, so thank you everybody for staying in this heat because it's super hot today."

Two-time Grand Slam champion Halep, who reached the 2018 final at Melbourne Park, will play France's Alize Cornet for a place in the quarter-finals. Cornet beat Slovenia’s 29th seed Tamara Zidansek 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 on the back of her stunning upset of world No. 3 Garbine Muguruza in round two.

"I feel like I played great, (Kovinic) was a little bit tired, she had a tough match before me," added Halep.

"I feel good, more confident now because last year was a tough year and now I just enjoy playing tennis because I'm healthy.

"I am really pleased with the way I played and I am looking forward to the next one."

Cornet, meanwhile, battled back from a set down in her match and was also affected by the heat.

“It was mostly about survival,” she said.

“The Australian heat is brutal and I can’t believe I won.”