French Open: 'I expect much better from myself' - Simona Halep's coach apologises after her shock early exit

Simona Halep's coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, has apologised after she suffered a shock defeat in the second round at Roland-Garros. Halep was praised for being “brave and honest” after revealing she had a panic attack during her French Open defeat on Thursday. The Romanian called for the trainer and had her pulse and blood pressure taken during her 2-6 6-2 6-1 loss to Chinese teenager Qinwen Zheng in Paris.

Ad/> Although she was given the all-clear to play on, she continued to have trouble with her breathing and the trainer came out for a second time. Roland-Garros‘So honest, so brave’ – Halep praised for revealing panic attack after shock exit3 HOURS AGO “I was playing well at the start,” Halep said. “I had a break in the second set, but then something happened.

I just lost it. I didn't expect it because it was just a panic attack. “I didn't know how to handle it, because I don't have it often.

Yeah, I don't really know why it happened, because I was leading the match. I was playing well. But just happened, and as I said, I lost it.

I couldn't focus.” Mouratoglou, who has been working with Halep since the start of her preparations for Roland-Garros, posted an apology for her early exit in Paris on social media. «I’ve always been proud of my successes with my players, but then I also have to acknowledge when I’m not doing a good enough job,» Mouratoglou wrote in the post. «The results we’ve had the past month in Madrid, Rome and Roland-Garros are insufficient for someone of Simona Halep's calibre and I take full responsibility for them.

»She is fully dedicated, motivated, gives it everything on every ball. She is a champion — her track record speaks for itself. I expect much better from myself and I want to extend my