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Saturday Dec 14, 2024
Tuesday, 14 August 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Simona Halep of Romania cuddles her trophy as she wins against Sloane Stephens of the United States (not pictured) during the Rogers Cup tennis tournament at Stade IGA – USA TODAY Sports
Reuters: World number one Simona Halep turned back American Sloane Stephens 7-6(6) 3-6 6-4 to win the Rogers Cup women’s title in a rematch of their French Open finale in Montreal on Sunday.
Romanian Halep, who had beaten Stephens in Paris in June, claimed her second Montreal title in three years and third for the 2018 season.
She closed out the hard-fought match with her third ace of the day.
“It’s an amazing feeling to be able to talk again at this ceremony as a winner,” Halep said.
“I feel like I reached my best level of tennis, even if I had a long break before this tournament and I felt dead after the first day.”
Halep fended off four set points to claim a back-and-forth first set in a tiebreak after storming to a 4-1 lead before U.S. Open champion Stephens fought back to level.
Halep broke the third-seeded Stephens with a crosscourt winner to take a 5-4 lead and serve for the set. But the American broke Halep with a forehand winner and held two set points on the Romanian’s serve at 6-5. A crosscourt backhand saved one and Stephens netted a return on the second.
Numerous forehand errors by Halep gave Stephens a 4-0 lead in the tiebreak and the American went up 6-4 before Halep rallied, crushing a backhand down the line to earn her first set point, which she converted.
Stephens led throughout the second set, breaking Halep twice, but the Romanian took control of the third set, turning a break into a 5-2 advantage.
Stephens rallied to within 5-4 before Halep, on her fourth match point, slammed her third ace of the match and dropped to her knees in triumph.
“You make me play better and better every time we play,” Halep said of Stephens.The American returned the compliment.
“Even though I lost today, I literally left everything on the court,” Stephens said.
“Obviously I’m sad I lost, but losing to the number one player isn’t too bad. Every time I play her, she makes me a better player, she makes me raise my level.”
Reuters: World number one Simona Halep became the first player to qualify for the season-ending WTA Finals in Singapore, the WTA said yesterday.
The Romanian is the only player to have qualified for all five editions of the event since it has been held in Singapore and will look to win the title for the first time. Halep was beaten in the 2014 final by American Serena Williams.
“Simona has been one of the sport’s most consistent and leading performers over the last few years. We look forward to seeing her competing to hold the prestigious Billie Jean King Trophy,” WTA CEO and Chairman Steve Simon said.
The top eight singles players at the $ 7 million prize money event will face off in a round-robin format.
Halep won her maiden grand slam trophy at the French Open this year, and claimed her third title of the season at the Rogers Cup by beating Sloane Stephens in the final on Sunday.
The WTA Finals will take place from 21 to 28 October.
