Halep halts Kristyna Pliskova in Indian Wells opener

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA -- World No.1 Simona Halep of Romania started her BNP Paribas Open campaign with a bang on Friday, eliminating Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic, 6-4, 6-4, to advance to the third round of the year's first WTA Premier Mandatory event.

"I think I played good tennis, even if the previous days I didn't feel the ball that well," Halep told the press, after the match. "But today was great that I could actually play a few rallies. I got the rhythm back, and I feel good now. I feel more confident."

The No.1 seed rebounded from an early break down in the first set to overcome the left-handed of the Pliskova twins in 75 minutes. Halep had 18 winners and only 12 unforced errors throughout the match, and was a stellar 6-for-6 on break point opportunties.

The big-serving Pliskova stayed in the match behind eight aces, and also won 100 percent of her break point chances, going 4-for-4. But the Czech had 33 unforced errors holding her back and negating her solid serve and 22 winners.

"It was important to win this match," said Halep. "I come back from an injury, tough injury, and I didn't have pain. I feel good. I feel happy about that, that I won this match, which is not easy to play against Pliskova sisters. It's always a big win for me," continued the the 2015 BNP Paribas Open champion, who has now won both of her matches against Kristyna Pliskova, after a first-round win in Madrid last year.

After Pliskova held in the first game to start the encounter, the next four games went against serve. Halep hung tough to quell the tide and hold for 3-3. After that, some strong serves from the Czech allowed her to hold for 4-3, but Halep leveled the set at 4-4 via three consecutive forehand winners.

The Romanian then claimed the decisive break of the opening set, reaching break point at 4-4 behind another forehand winner, and then clinching the advantage when a Pliskova forehand went long.

Halep then reached double set point after an exquisite serve was returned wide by Pliskova. The Czech hit a clever drop shot for a winner to save the first set point, but then hit a service return long to hand over the opening frame to the Romanian.

Halep opened up a big lead in the second set, completing a six-game run to grasp a 6-4, 3-0 lead over the error-prone Pliskova. But the Czech steeled herself, and grabbed one break of service back, at love, to stop Halep's winning streak.

After Pliskova held for 2-3, Halep had a second straight shocker of a service game. The World No.1 hit three unforced errors to give Pliskova a chance to level the set at 3-3, which the underdog did with a scintillating forehand service return winner.

But the comeback by Pliskova would soon be rendered moot, as the Czech dropped her serve in the next game with back-to-back unforced errors going long. Halep once again was up a break in the second set, and after holding for 5-3 due to more errors from Pliskova, it appeared the top seed was en route to a tidy straight-set win.

Pliskova quickly held for 5-4 with an ace on game point, making Halep work for her victory on her own serve. The Romanian was up to the challenge, converting her first match point to move into the third round.

Halep will now face either No.30 seed Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia or American wild card Caroline Dolehide in the third round. "First we'll have to see who is going to win," Halep said. "I will play my game. I will be relaxed. I will enjoy the moment, and I will try to be aggressive like I did today and like I did in Melbourne."