Halep battled the Palermo and San Jose champion for two hours and 55 minutes, saving four match points in a dramatic final game before succumbing to a 6-2, 4-6, 4-6 defeat.
This was the two-time Major winner’s first match since retiring in the second round in Rome against Angelique Kerber in May. A calf injury kept her out of the subsequent French Open, Wimbledon Championships and the Tokyo Olympics.
Despite the three-month hiatus, the fact that Halep was able to go toe-to-toe with the in-form Collins on her comeback will be encouraging for the Romanian.
During her post-match media interaction, Halep admitted that she only expected to showcase such a high level a few weeks down the line at the US Open.
It was a tough few months for the Romanian. Missing out on the chance to represent her nation at the Tokyo Olympics was deeply disappointing. Halep chose not to dwell on that, and instead focused on spending time with her friends and family.
When some players don’t trust they can win with their game, they ask for medical help: Simona Halep
The match between Danielle Collins and Simona Halep had plenty of drama, with the American’s medical time-out a highly debated topic. The American, who self-admittedly hyperextended her knee twice during the match, asked for a trainer after the fifth game of the third set, having just dropped her serve.
The medical time-out turned out to be a long one and Halep was made to wait before her serve. The former World No. 1 was broken when action resumed, and she went on to win just one more game in the match.
During the press conference, the Romanian was asked to weigh in on the issue. Halep expressed her displeasure with the medical timeout rule, suggesting that some players use it to halt the momentum of their opponent.
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