Last year’s unexpected second-round exit in the French Open is likely still lingering inside the head of World No. 6 Simona Halep. Now, she’s back in the same position once more, and will strive to emerge triumphant at the expense of Zarina Diyas. Can Halep succeed in doing so? Or will she suffer another early departure in Paris? Read on below for more information about this matchup.
If you’re craving for some NBA Playoffs action as well, check out our preview of Game 5 between the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers. That series is tied at two wins apiece.
Simona Halep is off to a fiery start in the 2016 French Open. She beat her first-round opponent—Nao Hibino—in dominant fashion on Tuesday, 6-2, 6-0. All throughout that match, it was clear that Halep showed no signs of discomfort, smashing 16 winners, forcing 11 unforced errors and also maintained a relatively high first-serve percentage. That win has definitely boosted Halep’s confidence further, and another blistering performance could be expected in the next round.
Speaking of which, Halep’s opponent will be Zarina Diyas. There’s no question that the 24-year-old Romanian has the upper hand in this one. Across two meetings between these two competitors, Halep has reigned supreme in both. But it’s worth noting that those wins happened back in 2014 at Wimbledon and the Australian Open.
It’s safe to say that Diyas could also prove to be a tougher matchup compared to Hibino. The 22-year-old Kazakhstani has surely improved her play and has garnered more experience since the last time she battled Halep. Those reasons alone should urge Halep to remain cautious and focused all throughout this match.
Halep has won eight of her previous 10 matches.
Betting on Zarina Diyas
With the odds totally against her, Zarina Diyas has really got to bring her A-game along with a nothing-to-lose mentality in this second-round matchup with Simona Halep.
Diyas, who currently ranks No. 90 in the WTA rankings, is coming off a hard-fought victory against Carina Witthoeft of Germany in the first round, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2. In that bout, the 22-year-old Kazakhstani had a solid serving percentage of 88, and also won 61 percent of her first serve points.
Apart from the numbers, Diyas’ determination, poise and power were put into display during that entertaining triumph. She must bring that kind of attitude and level of energy against Halep, who poses as a more challenging foe, once again.
Diyas, who has never made it past the second round at Roland Garros, has won seven of her past 10 matches overall.
