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Simona Halep admitted she was very nervous in her Melbourne opener but felt happy after beating Magdalena Frech 6-4 6-3. Halep didn't play a consistent match as she dropped her serve twice in each set but claimed a total of seven breaks to overcome Frech in straight sets.
"The first match is always tough," Halep said in her post-match press conference, per the WTA website. "I was very nervous. But I'm really happy with the way I played, with the way I've been on court. Going through to the second round makes me happy.
"I feel like in the big picture, [it] was a good game for the first match. It's always tough. I'm always nervous. But also she didn't play that bad. She was playing well. She was running very well. She was moving well. I think was a good match and I take only the positives.
"I don't believe I am at the highest level, my highest level, like in the past. But I feel good. I feel confident that the game is there, the movement is there. The mental is pretty strong."
Halep in a good form
Halep started her season with a title as she won the Melbourne Summer Set 1.
"The body is great, I feel good," Halep said after winning Melbourne. "I had a tough five matches, and my body is good. I don't feel that tired. Physically I'm in the right place. Confidence is growing. I feel confident. I feel that I have the game to win matches.
"I'm not that scared when I lose serve because I lose often the serve, but I am confident in my return. I'm not getting scared there. I didn't even think that I lost the serve, I just focused on the return. I just focused on every game I played. I was very positive." Halep plays next Beatriz Haddad Maia.