Simona Halep Admitted to Hospital for Dehydration After Australian Open Final

Simona Halep was admitted to the hospital overnight for four hours after playing in the 2018 Australian Open final in extreme heat conditions.

Simona Halep was admitted to the hospital overnight for four hours after playing in the 2018 Australian Open final, according to a report during the ESPN broadcast of the men's final on Sunday.

On Saturday, Halep lost to Caroline Wozniacki in three sets after playing for two hours and 50 minutes in extreme heat conditions—on-court temperatures were recorded near 90 degrees Fahrenheit, with high humidity, during the match. 

Halep was treated for dehydration and exhaustion, and was discharged Sunday morning, 

"Just reported by @ESPN: Simona Halep went to the hospital overnight for four hours and was treated for dehydration. Was released Sunday morning". (@WTA_insider).

And they showed this picture... pic.twitter.com/OQTByVVCpM

— Ilya Ryvlin (@ryvlin) January 28, 2018

During the second set of the match, Halep was treated by the medical staff, who checked her blood pressure as the Romanian placed ice towels around her neck and on her face.

Despite the conditions on Saturday, the roof on Rod Laver Arena remained open for the duration of the women's final. On Sunday, the tournament put the heat rule into effect and closed the roof for the mixed doubles and men's finals, stating that the wet bulb globe temperature—a measure of heat stress in direct sunlight that considers temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle and cloud cover, according to the National Weather Service—exceeded the threshold of 32.5 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit). 

Statement on roof closure. pic.twitter.com/BBwNx6b8Lc

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2018

With the loss in the finals, Halep also surrendered her No. 1 ranking, but the 26-year-old was in good spirits after the match. 

"I can still smile," Halep said. "It's fine. I cried, but now I'm smiling. It is just a tennis match in the end. I'm really sad I couldn't win it. I was close again, but the gas was over in the end."