Simona Halep to play Shenzhen Open before Australia
By Harry Floyd
Simona Halep enters the 2018 WTA Tour as the world No. 1 in women’s singles tennis. She will play both doubles and singles next week at the Shenzhen Open.
Simona Halep is preparing for the 2018 WTA Tour.
As the world No. 1 gears up for the year’s first upcoming Grand Slam event, she has announced that she will play in both doubles and singles at the Shenzhen Open. Action goes down at the Shenzhen Longgang Sports Center between December 30, 2017 and January 6, 2018.
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For the doubles action at the Shenzhen Open, Halep is teaming up with fellow Romanian tennis player Irina-Camelia Begu. The two reached the semifinals last year in Madrid and Begu also saw success with other partners throughout the year.
Simona Halep is looking for momentum heading into play at the 2018 Australian Open.
The Romanian tennis star is a heavy favorite going into the 2018 WTA Tour. Her new world No. 1 status combined with her consistent success throughout recent years have set her up for what could be a career year.
As fans await the return of American tennis star Serena Williams, Halep and others remain in control of the women’s singles action. If Williams can return for the Australian Open, she will enter as the defending champion in search of a 24th Grand Slam singles title. Another player to watch at Melbourne Park is WTA Finals champion Caroline Wozniacki. She and Halep both remain in search of their first career Grand Slam singles titles.
Next: Top 10: Men's Singles Tennis
The 2018 WTA Tour is shaping up for a thrilling start. As players prepare for warmup tournaments leading into play at Melbourne Park, all eyes are on the top ranked players. Last year saw several elite players swap back and forth with the world No. 1 ranking and 2018 should be no different. Simona Halep is in charge for the time being, but she must prove herself in the early tournament action. Play at the Shenzhen Open next week will be an excellent way for her to kick off the upcoming tour. Stay tuned to see how she and other top players in women’s singles tennis fare in the early weeks of the 2018 WTA Tour. Check back for updates on all of the action.