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For Simona Halep, Deciding to Not Play Made Her Want to Return Even More

Thomas Samson/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

With a new roof on its main court, new dates and few fans, this year’s French Open is a world away from last year’s French Open.

Friday only deepened the feeling.

While the reigning women’s champion Ashleigh Barty was hoisting a beer and jumping out of her seat in far-off Brisbane at an Australian rules football match, Simona Halep, the favorite to succeed her, was crushing any suspense out of a rematch at Roland Garros.

The opponent was the American teenager Amanda Anisimova.