Simona Halep overcomes wobble to reach French Open second round after stern test from lucky loser Nastasja Schunk

ByMichael Hincks

Updated 24/05/2022 at 21:14 GMT

Simona Halep won the French Open in 2018 and is hoping to go the distance once more at Roland-Garros. A potential fourth-round meeting with world No. 1 Iga Swiatek is on the cards, but the Romanian was first made to battle past Nastasja Schunk in the first round, while she faces world No. 74 Qinwen Zheng next. Stream the 2022 French Open live and on-demand on discovery+.

Former French Open champion Simona Halep overcame lucky loser Nastasja Schunk in a hard-fought three-set win in the first round at Roland-Garros.

Following a series of first-round casualties, including sixth seed Ons Jabeur and defending champion Barbora Krejcikova, Halep was out to avoid an early upset of her own in her first Grand Slam with new coach Patrick Mouratoglou.

The Romanian was severely tested by Schunk, the 18-year-old German who was making her Grand Slam debut, but the 2018 winner eventually came through 6-4 1-6 6-1.

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World No. 74 Qinwen Zheng is the next challenge for Halep, who could collide with No. 1 seed Iga Swiatek in the fourth round.

Halep is viewed as the second favourite for overall victory in Paris behind Swiatek, making that potential fourth-round meeting a mid-major showdown to look out for, should both players win their next two matches.

Swiatek set to face familiar foe Halep in possible fourth round in French Open

As well as Zheng, 2017 winner Jelena Ostapenko could also have something to say about that, with the No. 13 seed taking on Alize Cornet in the second round and maybe Halep in the third.

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Schunk showed no signs of nerves when taking on two-time Grand Slam champion Halep on Court Simonne-Mathieu.

‘Here we go!’ – Halep begins showdown against Schunk at French Open

The world No. 165 was the first to break, racing to a 3-0 lead, but three more breaks saw Halep bring the first set back on serve at 4-4.

Serving, however, seemed to have little advantage in the opener, with Halep breaking for a third time to edge ahead before wrapping up the set 6-4 in 41 minutes after crucially saving a break point.

The break-point opportunities kept coming in the second, but remarkably it was Schunk who converted twice without reply to storm it 6-1 and force a decider.

Halep then rallied to break in the second game of the third set, with another two games later helping her seal the win and avoid a scare.

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Stream the 2022 French Open live and on-demand on discovery+

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