Australian Open: Simona Halep set to play doubles with Elena-Gabriela
Romanian tennis star Simona Halep is set to participate in the doubles event in next year's Australia Open. The former world number one in singles will pair up with her fellow countrywoman Elena-Gabriela Ruse in Melbourne. It will be her sixth appearance in the double's category at the Australian Open. The 2022 AO will kick off on January 17 at the Melbourne arena.
Why does it matter?
Previously, Halep had participated in the doubles event in the first Grand Slam of the year on five occasions. She is yet to reach the second round at AO in the category. Last time, she teamed up with Australia's Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz and bowed out after losing in the first round. The two were beaten by Arina Rodionova of Russia and Australia's Storm Sanders.
Simona Halep's performance in doubles
Halep is placed 295th in the WTA Rankings. The Romanian player has a mediocre 67-68 win-loss record in the category on the WTA tour. She has won just one title in the category, which came in 2018 at Shenzhen Open while playing alongside Irina-Camelia Begu. She reached the final of Montreal Open in 2016 with Monica Niculescu.
Simona Halep's performance in 2021
Halep is currently ranked 20th in WTA Rankings. She started 2021 on a disappointing note, losing to Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova in the quarter-finals of the Gippsland Trophy. She was beaten by Serena Williams in the 2021 AO quarters. She did not feature in French Open and Wimbledon due to injury and exited US Open in R16. Halep had a 24-10 win-loss record in 2021.
Career highlights of Simona Halep
Halep has won two Grand Slams - Wimbledon (2019) and Roland Garros (2018). She is a one-time Australian Open runner up (2018) and has reached the semi-final of the US Open once in 2015. Overall, she has won 22 titles in her career. Halep won her last WTA title in 2020 when she lifted Rome Open after getting a walkover by Karolina Pliskova.
