Tennis: Simona Halep qualifies for round of 16 of WTA tournament in Shenzhen (China)

Romanian woman tennis player Simona Halep has qualified for the round of sixteen of the WTA tournament taking place in Shenzhen (China), with total prizes worth 500,000 US dollars, after defeating in the inaugural round Annika Beck (Germany), 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

It took almost two hours of play for Halep (23 of age, WTA's No. 3), Seed No. 1, to beat Beck, 20 years of age, world's No. 55.

Simona showed thus, in its first match in the new year, with her new coach, Victor Ionita, by her side, that she faces some difficulties with her service, as she scored no less than 10 double-faults (although she also scored four aces).

The Romanian player won 3 of the matches played against Beck and lost 1, last year, when she was forced to abandon in the round of 16 of the 's-Hertogenbosch tournament in the Netherlands.

Halep already secured for herself a cheque worth 4,928 US dollars and 30 WTA points, following next to meet Russian Natalia Vihlianteva (17 of age, WTA's 584) in the round of 16 of the Shenzhen tournament. AGERPRES