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By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, February 16, 2018

 
Simona Halep

Simona Halep withdrew from Doha with a foot injury after her quarterfinal conquest of CiCi Bellis and likely won't return until Indian Wells.

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

A nagging right foot injury prompted Simona Halep to withdraw from Doha, derailing her bid for a third straight final this season.

The second-ranked Romanian officially pulled out minutes after defeating American qualifier CiCi Bellis, 6-0, 6-4, to charge into the Qatar Total Open semifinals.

More: Muguruza Fights Past Garcia In Doha

Halep does not expect to return to tournament tennis until Indian Wells, at the earliest, next month.

"The MRI showed I have fluid and also tendonitis at the fourth toe," Halep told the media in Doha. "So I have to take care of it and thinking about the health first. Defininitely until Indian Wells I will not play anything. So I will decide before the tournament if I will be able to play Indian Wells. For the moment, I cannot say much I have to take it day by day and see if I have to recover until Indian Wells."



The Australian Open finalist took the court knowing she could regain the world No. 1 ranking this week by going one round further than top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki.






Wozniacki's three-set win over former No. 1 Angelique Kerber means she will retain the top spot.

"Obviously, I feel really bad for her," Wozniacki said of Halep. "She looked like she was moving well out there. She is a great player, a great champion, and I hope she’ll be back."

Halep said she's frustrated to step out of the tournament, but needs time to recovery from the injury she initially sustained during her inspired run to last month's Australian Open final.

"I am frustrated," Halep said. "It’s tough to withdraw in the semis. I think it’s the first time I do this. It’s a great tournament, beautiful place, I play great tennis so its very tough to stop because of the injury. But I have to and I pushed myself enough this tournament so I have to just take it easy."

The 2014 champion's withdrawal sends fourth-seeded GarbiƱe Muguruza into her first final since she crushed Karolina Pliskova and Halep in succession to win Cincinnati last August.

The Wimbledon champion played dynamic tennis rallying past Caroline Garcia, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, into her first semifinal of the season.


 

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