By Chris Oddo | Saturday June 3, 2017
Simona Halep eased into the second week for the third time in four years on Day 7 in Paris.
Photo Source: Julian Finney/Getty
Simona Halep moved into week two of the French Open for the third time in four years with a 6-0, 7-5 victory over Russia’s Daria Kasatkina that did nothing to damage her status as the betting favorite in Paris.
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But backing up the oddsmakers could prove difficult for Halep in her next match as she prepares to face Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro in the round of 16. The Spaniard owns a 4-0 lifetime edge over Halep on clay, including a victory over the Romanian at Roland Garros in 2013. It has been a so-so year for the 28-year-old from the Canary Islands, but she improved to 9-4 on the clay with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Russia’s Elena Vesnina on Saturday.
Not many were talking about Suarez Navarro when the tournament started but the No.21 seed will be the talk of women’s tennis if she can extend her clay winning streak to five against Halep.
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Halep appears to be as ready as she can be for the challenge. She cruised early against 20-year-old Kasatkina and then fought hard late, rallying from 5-3 down in set two to capture the final four games and the straight sets victory.
"It was a good match,” Halep assessed after the match. “I think I played really well the whole match, even if she has the 5-3 in the second set. I felt that I was pushing her back, and also I was rolling the ball pretty well. I think it was a very high standard of tennis today. Also, she played really well. I mean, she's a very tough opponent when I play her always.”
Halep improved to 2-0 against Kasatkina and 14-7 lifetime at Roland Garros.
"I'm not feeling pressure and I'm not feeling that I'm favorite,” she said. “I just have confidence that I have my chance. I have the game to play till the end.”
Suarez Navarro, making her sixth trip to the second week in Paris, is a two-time quarterfinalist at Roland Garros. She hit 20 winners against No.14-seeded Vesnina and broke four times on 12 opportunities. She has won all six sets she has played in Paris to improve to 23-8 lifetime at the French.