SIMONA HALEP IN 3 ROUND OF THE US OPEN 2013

Simona Halep needed less than an hour to cruise into the US Open third round with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Jana Cepelova in swealtering Louis Armstrong Stadium on Wednesday. 

 After struggling some in a three-set opening day win over NCAA champion Daniella Rose Collins, Halep got off to another shaky start in dropping the first two games against the 21-year-old Slovak. But, the 2014 French Open finalist soon found her baseline form and was soon in complete control of the match. “I was a bit nervous but then I started to be more aggressive and to leave the emotions,” said Halep, 22, of Romania. Dressed in vibrant pink colors, Halep adjusted to her opponent’s fast pace and started clocking winners off service returns and even hit a second-serve ace. Cepelova began to misfire making 14 unforced errors in the opening set. Halep rolled through the final set unleashing a full variety of swinging volleys, groundstroke winners and even three aces. WHAT IT MEANS: Halep advances to the US Open’s third round for the second consecutive year. Last year she reached the round of 16.