Simona Halep has made the first significant step in her latest comeback attempt – despite a lopsided loss at the WTA125 Hong Kong Open.
The former world No 1 was playing at the Challenger event in her first tournament in four months, after struggling with a knee issue following her first attempted comeback in the spring.
Halep could only play two tournaments following her initial return from suspension in March, losing in round one of the Miami Open before retiring injured at the Trophee Clarins in May.
However, the two-time Grand Slam champion won a match for the first time since the 2022 Cincinnati Open in Hong Kong.
The Romanian defeated Arina Rodionova 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 to reach the second round, in only her third tournament since the 2022 US Open.
“Words cannot describe the feeling of being out there on court competing – and winning my first match after such a long period – in the sport I love,” she wrote on social media.
“Thank you for all your support and your love, it means the world to me.”
The 33-year-old is currently ranked 1,130th on the WTA Rankings, though the 15 ranking points earned for that victory are enough to propel her back into the top 1000.
She is currently projected to rise 251 places to world No 879 when the rankings update next Monday, a not-insignificant step as she looks to return to the top of the game.
However, she was handed a tough reminder of just how tricky her return to tour could prove to be with her second round clash in Hong Kong.
Halep was rarely unable to get into her match against seventh seed Anna Blinkova on Thursday, the Russian easing towards a 6-2, 6-1 victory over the world No 1.
Halep will be back in action later this month in Hong Kong, having received a wildcard to enter the WTA 250 event held at the same venue.
It has also been confirmed that she will play on home soil at the Transylvania Open in February next year, though the bulk of her upcoming schedule is yet to be confirmed.
Elsewhere in Hong Kong, world No 8 Emma Navarro’s campaign continued with a comfortable 6-2, 6-4 victory over Kimberly Birrell.
The American, looking to boost her position in the race to the WTA Finals, will face Blinkova next.