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Eugenie Bouchard bested by AusOpen top seed Simona Halep

By Harry Floyd

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 18: Eugenie Bouchard of Canada reacts in her second round match against Simona Halep of Romania on day four of the 2018 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 18, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 18: Eugenie Bouchard of Canada reacts in her second round match against Simona Halep of Romania on day four of the 2018 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 18, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images) /
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Eugenie Bouchard is out of the 2018 Australian Open. After a strong opener, she falls to top seeded Simona Halep in straight sets.

Eugenie Bouchard lacked the same confidence that she showed in her opening round win against France’s Oceane Dodin. She falls to top seeded Simona Halep in straight sets. The Romanian tennis star takes the match with ease, winning 6-2, 6-2.

Neither the fans nor Bouchard were sure whether or not Halep would be at full strength during their second round meeting. The Romanian had rolled an ankle during her previous match, but the ankle did not appear to phase her one bit.

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The top seed moves into the third round of play at the Australian Open. Up next for her is American Lauren Davis. The two square off later today at Melbourne Park.

While the loss knocks Bouchard out of contention at the Grand Slam, but the tournament should be viewed as a success for her. A strong opening match showed that her coaching change and newfound determination is paying off. The looming potential second round matchup versus Halep could not have been easy to deal with.

Simona Halep remains the favorite to win the title this year at Melbourne Park.

Ending the 2017 WTA Tour as the year-end world No. 1, Halep is poised to breakout early in 2018. Her strong performance thus far at the Australian Open implies that she is set to carry her previous tour’s momentum right into the early months. She remains in search of her first ever Grand Slam singles title and is doing a good job at giving herself a chance at it in Melbourne.

Next: Top 10: Men's Singles Tennis

Look for Eugenie Bouchard to takeaway several positives from her time at the Australian Open. She will be an interesting player to watch in the coming months. Just 23-years-old, the Canadian has significant experience for such a young player. As for the top seeded Halep, stay tuned to see how fare she can advance at the 2018 Australian Open. Check back for updates on all of the action in women’s singles this year at Melbourne Park.

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