Halep to Stay 'Patient' After Another Comeback Loss

Former World No. 1 Simona Halep is determined to remain patient in her comeback after suffering another setback at the Australian Open.

The Romanian star, who is making her return to the sport after a 15-month injury layoff, fell to Alize Cornet in the second round of the season's first Grand Slam on Wednesday.

Halep had fought back from a set down to force a decider, but Cornet eventually prevailed 6-4 3-6 6-4 on Margaret Court Arena.

Despite the disappointing result, Halep is taking a positive approach and is confident that she will eventually regain her best form.

"I'm still not where I want to be, but I'm getting closer," Halep said after the match.

"I'm going to stay patient and keep working hard. I know that I can get back to my best."

Halep, who won the Australian Open in 2018, has been hampered by a calf injury in recent months.

She returned to competition at the Adelaide International 2 last week, but lost in the quarterfinals to Veronika Kudermetova.

The 31-year-old is now set to take a break from competition to continue her recovery.

"I'm going to take some time off to rest and recover," Halep said.

"I'll be back on the court soon and I'm confident that I can achieve my goals this year."