Simona Halep made a winning start at the Marid Open under new coach Patrick Mouratoglou, who started working with the Romanian player this month.
Mouratoglou, well known for coaching Serena Williams to unrivaled success between 2012 and 2022, guided Halep to a first-round win in Madrid. The two-time Grand Slam champion cruised to victory over Shuai Zhang with a 6-2, 6-3 score.
Following Halep's initial success at the Madrid Open, Mouratoglou quickly praised the success of his new player. After their first match together at the 2022 Madrid Open, Mouratoglou posted a video and pictures from the event and said he was impressed by Halep.
"First match in a new collaboration is always special. Couldn’t have asked for a better debut!"
Halep had a difficult season in 2021, as she dropped out of the WTA's Top 10. Moreover, in November, the Romanian player couldn't hold her position within the WTA's Top 20 - a position she had held since 2013.
However, Halep has already shown glimpses of a return to form in 2022. In January, she lifted her 23rd career title at the Melbourne Summer Set before reaching the semi-finals at the Dubai Tennis Championships and Indian Wells.
The Romanian has made no secret of her delight in working with Mouratoglou after the pair started their partnership in early April this year.
Speaking to Alize Lim in an interview for Tennis Majors' "Major Talk" show, Halep admitted that Mouratoglou Tennis Academy is one reason she has not considered retiring from professional tennis.
"I thought at 30 I would be done and I was close to be done this year. Actually last year, as well, after the injury I had. At the beginning of the year (2022) I was a little bit better but still not very confident so I thought it may be the last period I could play tennis."
"But then I discovered this academy, I discovered something, the fire is back in my inside for tennis. Seeing the kids here doing everything possible to be at the top, I have it back. I needed that, to see in other people, in other kids, and I have it back."
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