Former champion Simona Halep suffered a panic episode during her second-round play at the French Open. During her 2-6 6-2 6-1 loss to China's Zheng Qinwen, the 30-year-old appeared to have breathing problems and requested the trainer.
Halep, the 2018 champion, was another big name knocked out on a day filled with surprises at Roland Garros.In Paris, though, world number one Iga Swiatek easily defeated another opponent.
Swiatek, 20, is one of only three top-10 seeds still in the women's singles draw after the first two rounds, along with third seed Paula Badosa of Spain and seventh seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.
Halep labored physically in the second half of her play against Zheng, falling significantly in the second set as Zheng claimed 11 of the last 12 games.Halep, a two-time Grand Slam champion, held a set and a break lead but said she "didn't know how to handle" the situation when a rare panic episode struck.
"I don't get it very often," Halep admitted. "I'm not sure why that happened because I was leading the match. I was doing well.
"But it simply happened, and as I have stated, I lost it. I couldn't concentrate, "She continued.
"It was difficult to recover from the contest, but I'm now well. I'm okay now, and I'll learn from this experience.
"In my judgment, it was nothing harmful, yet it happened. So it's fantastic that I can finally smile."
Halep's elimination was the latest high-profile loss in the women's draw.
The day's biggest upset came against Wimbledon runner-up Karolina Pliskova, who was defeated 6-2 6-2 by French world number 227 Leolia Jeanjean.
The ninth seed Danielle Collins, another seed, lost 6-4, 6-3 to fellow American Shelby Rogers on Thursday.
