Dubai: Having bowed out of the Australian Open meekly to a determined Ekaterina Makarova of Russia in straight sets in the quarterfinals, World Number 3 Simona Halep is confident of putting the misery behind and having a great season ahead.
“It was a disappointing loss. Makarova played a great match against me, but that would not affect my schedule and I will continue to work hard and I’m confident of hitting the peak at the right time,” Halep said as she begins afresh next week at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship.
Last hurdle
“I’m really looking forward to be playing in Dubai as I like this tournament a lot. Dubai is an important tournament in my calendar and I want to do better than my previous performances here,” the 23-year-old Romanian said.
Last year Halep had to pull out with a right Achilles injury while playing her first round match against Alize Cornet.
Despite the injury, Halep’s best performance came at the 2014 French Open where she lost to Maria Sharapova in the final. “The important target this year will be to win a Grand Slam which will be a dream come true. I will work hard for that and my other biggest priority will be to stay healthy and produce the best tennis I can.
“I have had good preparation during my off season and now I can focus more on my matches and hope for good results,” The World No 3 said.
