Always a great experience to share court with Serena, says Simona Halep

Melbourne: Simona Halep might have had faced defeat at the hands of Serena Williams in the ongoing Australian Open but the Romanian tennis player truly cherished the battle with the 23-time Grand Slam champion.

Serena defeated Halep 6-3, 6-3 in the quarter-finals at the Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday. The 39-year-old Serena was in an emphatic mood in the first set and she did not give Halep any chance and as a result, the American star won the first set 6-3. Serena hit 14 winners to win the opening set. In the second set, Halep gained a 3-1 lead, but Serena managed to come back to bring the scoreline level at 3-3. Carrying on her with her momentum, Serena made the winning charge and as a result, she ended up winning the match in straight sets.

Halep on Wednesday said it was a great experience for her to share the court with 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena. The Romanian tennis player also thanked everyone who was involved in making the Australian Open possible amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"Win or lose, it's always a great experience to share the court with @serenawilliams Thank you to @CraigTiley and @TennisAustralia for your tireless work. You have overcome many challenges and have not stopped working on our behalves. I can't wait to be back next year," Halep tweeted.

The 39-year-old Serena needs one more major win to equal Margaret Court's record Grand Slam tally. She has not added to her Grand Slam tally since beating her sister Venus in the Australian Open final in 2017.

Serena, we will now face Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka in the semi-finals on Thursday.