Halep says foot injury improving as tennis remains on hold

LOS ANGELES:

Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep had good news for her Twitter followers on Monday, saying she can run without pain on her injured right foot.

The Romanian star had barely wrapped up a victory at the WTA tournament in Dubai in February when she pulled out of the following tournament in Doha with the injury, which an MRI showed to be tendinitis and inflammation.

She later pulled out of the hard court tournament scheduled for Indian Wells, California, in March -- which eventually became the first tennis casualty of the coronavirus pandemic.

With tennis on indefinite hold -- and Wimbledon, where Halep won in 2019, cancelled this year -- Halep told fans that she was longing to get back to action.

"I miss my team. I miss the players," she said. "I miss everyone from the tour.

"I know it's a bit tough for everybody, this period," Halep added. "But if we stay home, if we stay strong and positive ... everything is going to be all right.

"I can't wait to travel again. I can't wait to play tennis again."