Former world number one Simona Halep reported having a panic attack after her second-round defeat at the French Open. “Something happened” in the second set, said the 30-year-old Romanian tennis player after the 6: 2, 2: 6, 1: 6 against the Chinese Zheng Qinwen. She experienced a “panic attack”. “I didn’t know how to deal with it because I don’t have these often.”

The attack came on suddenly. “I don’t know why it happened – I was leading and playing well. But it happened. And after that I couldn’t concentrate anymore,” explained the two-time Grand Slam winner.

Halep reported that she may have put herself under too much pressure. The doctors had certified that she was physically okay. “After the match it was pretty tough. But now I’m fine. I’ve recovered and will learn from this episode,” Halep said.

She had won the French Open in 2018 and a year later also triumphed in Wimbledon. She is now 19th in the world rankings.

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