Halep mauls Badosa on Centre Court return to reach quarters

LONDON: Former champion Simona Halep marked her return to Centre Court on Monday (Jul 4) with a scintillating performance to thrash fourth-seeded Spaniard Paula Badosa 6-1 6-2 and reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals.

Playing on the main showcourt at the grasscourt Grand Slam for the first time since sweeping aside Serena Williams in the 2019 final, the 16th-seeded Romanian put on another show for the crowd.

She smashed 17 winners, kept a tab on her errors and broke Badosa's serve five times to close out the victory in an hour.

"It was the place that I wanted to be today. I think I played a great match," said Halep, who will meet big-hitting American Amanda Anisimova for a place in the semi-finals.

"It's always tough to play against her, she's a great player.

"Always nervous before, but I enjoyed a lot to be back on Centre Court, in front of this beautiful crowd, always supporting me. It's a pleasure to be back here."

Halep has been flying under the radar at the 2022 Championships but is now considered a serious title contender as the only former champion left in the draw and with 11 straight wins on the All England Club's manicured lawns.

None of the top 15 women's seeds, other than Tunisian third seed Ons Jabeur, have survived either.

Halep has yet to lose a set in the 2022 Championships and faced just a single breakpoint against Badosa.

"I'm really pleased with the way I played this tournament so far. Day by day, it's getting better," said Halep, who missed last year's tournament with an injury, while Wimbledon was cancelled due to COVID-19 in 2020.

"I'm just looking forward to playing the next one and to give my best again, as today."

Halep dropped only four games in the pair's only previous meeting in Madrid in April and their