Halep suffers panic attack, loses to teen Zheng

Romania’s Simona Halep returns to China’s Qinwen Zheng (inset) during their second-round match at Roland Garros. Pic/AFP

Former champion Simona Halep revealed she suffered a panic attack during her French Open defeat to China's Zheng Qinwen on Thursday.

The distressed 19th-seeded Romanian slumped in her chair at the end of the first set and required the attention of the doctor.

"It was just a panic attack. I didn't know how to handle it, because I don't have it often," said the 2018 French Open and 2019 Wimbledon winner.

"I was leading the match. I was playing well. I lost it. I couldn't focus. After the match, it was pretty tough. But now I'm good. I'm recovered, and I will learn from this episode. Nothing dangerous. The doctors checked everything. Everything was perfect," added Halep.

Zheng, just 19 and making her Paris debut, triumphed 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 and will face either 2017 champion Jelena Ostapenko or France's Alize Cornet for a place in the last 16.

Zheng, playing just her second major, awaits another past French Open champion in Jelena Ostapenko or Alize Cornet for a place in the last 16. "That was an important experience for me, to stand in a big stadium and beat a great player," Zheng said.

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