Fit-again Simona Halep said she was in “a good spot” and feeling no pressure as she stepped up a level to crush the Australian Open dreams of Emma Raducanu’s conqueror Danka Kovinic and power into the Last-16 on Saturday.
The two-time Grand Slam winner drew on all her experience to sweep past the 98th-ranked Montenegrin 6-2, 6-1 and ensure her participation in the second week for a fifth consecutive year in Melbourne.
She will now play French veteran Alize Cornet, who celebrated her 32nd birthday by beating 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.
The Romanian is on her way back after a calf tear scuttled her mid-season in 2021 and saw her briefly fall outside the top 20 for the first time since 2013. “I feel great physically, first of all. Mentally I’m confident and also strong. I feel I’m in a good spot. I really trust that I can play good tennis here. I feel that the pressure is off,” said Halep.
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