Romanian tennis player Simona Halep beat Jelena Jankovici and made it to the quarter finals of Australian Open. Halep, who ranks 11th WTA in the world, will have to play against number 24 WTA Dominika Cibulkova, who had beat number 3 Maria Şarapova.

It will be the first time Halep, 22, plays in the quarter finals of a Grand Slam tournament. She will be awarded AUD 270,000 for her qualification in the quarter finals.

Halep, on the brink of entering the top 10 best players in the world, has been named the Women’s Tennis Association’s Most Improved Player Of The Year.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Australian Open official site,  Jason Lockett/Tennis Australia)