Former champ Halep back in Bucharest quarterfinals

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) Top-seeded Simona Halep made her way back to the Bucharest Open quarterfinals, surviving a late wobble to advance past Bulgarian qualifier Isabella Shinikova 6-4, 6-3 on Thursday.

Halep, making her first appearance in her home event since she won the inaugural tournament two years ago, broke Shinikova early and held on to take the first set. In the second, she clinched on her second match point.

Up next will be sixth-seeded Danka Kovinic of Montenegro, who dispatched Polina Leykina of Russia 6-3, 6-2.