Tennis: Halep holds off Haddad Maia to win third WTA Canadian crown

TORONTO, Canada -- Simona Halep kept control against unpredictable Beatriz Haddad Maia on Sunday, beating the Brazilian 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 to win a third WTA Masters 1000 title in Canada.

The former world number one from Romania added the trophy in Toronto to those she captured in Montreal in 2016 and 2018.

She needed two and a quarter hours to deny the South American lefthander the upset victory.

"Here there are many Romanians and they always come to support me. I'm really happy that I could win also here," said Halep, who was backed by chants of "Si-mo-na!" from her vocal fans throughout the match.

She shrugged of nine double-faults and broke Haddad Maia five times from 10 chances as she became the third player with at least nine WTA 1000 titles, after Serena Williams (13) and Victoria Azarenka (10).

Halep, who was playing in her ninth final at the elite level as Haddad Maia tackled her first, won her 38th match of the season and claimed her biggest success since the Rome trophy in May, 2020.

After a year outside of the world's top-10 she is projected to rise to sixth this week with the start of the US Open approaching on August 29.

"I was there for many years but now I feel like it's a big deal to be back in top 10," she said. "I'm really happy with this performance.

"When I started the year I was not very confident and I set the goal to be top-10 at the end of the year -- and here I am.

"It's a very special moment. I will enjoy it. I will give myself credit. I'm just dreaming for more."

Haddad Maia, enjoying a breakout season that included grasscourt titles at Birmingham and Nottingham in June, had toppled world number one Iga Swiatek on her way to the final.

She struck first with a break on the way to a quick 3-0 lead. But Halep, a two-time Grand Slam champion, quickly responded, winning the opening set as she spun off six straight games to claim the opener 6-3, in 50 minutes.

Haddad Maia answered in the opening game of the second set with a break, consolidating through a double break for 4-0 before Halep stopped the rot to hold for 1-4.

The Brazilian delivered a huge serve on set point three games later to square the contest at a set each.

- 'A day to learn' -

But Halep came out ahead after they traded three breaks of serve in the final set, wrapping it up on her second match point as Haddad Maia fired a service return into the net.

Haddad Maia said she was at times overwhelmed by the occasion.

"It was an emotional beginning, even when I was 3-Love up I couldn't hold the emotions. I couldn't control myself," she said.

"Simona started to play better, to improve. I was trying to be more aggressive.

"Today Simona deserved it, she played better than me," added Haddad Maia, the first Brazilian to reach the final of a WTA 1000 event. "She was more brave.

"Sometimes we learn -- today, it's a day to learn."

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Halep claims 20th career title with Dubai triumph

DUBAI -- Simona Halep defeated Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) on Saturday to secure her 20th career title with victory at the Dubai Championships and claimed she felt "pretty dead."

The world number two from Romania, who also won the title in Dubai in 2015, clinched her first trophy since Wimbledon last summer.

"I love playing here, I gave everything I had," said Halep who had been 1-3 down in the final set and took victory after coming back from a set down for the third successive match in Dubai. 

"Now, actually, I'm pretty dead." 

Rybakina, 20, who will rise to 17 from 19 in the new rankings next week, was playing her fourth final from five tournaments in 2020 having won the Hobart trophy last month on the eve of the Australian Open.

"She's a talented player," Halep said of her opponent who has a WTA-leading 19 match wins for the season.

"She's young and has many more years ahead of her."

Rybakina, who was just inside the top 200 this time last year, took the tight final set into a deciding tiebreaker when she broke Halep as the top seed served for victory.

"I may have been a bit nervous," Halep said. "I just kept trying to fight for every ball.

"I'm really proud of this week, I think I gave my best. I enjoy every match I play here."

Rybakina took the early initiative, gaining a 4-2 lead but struggling to close out the opening set.

The Kazakh had to save two break points as she served for the set leading 5-3.

The 20-year-old double-faulted on a first set point before finally claiming the set on her third opportunity after 38 minutes, saving a pair of break points.

Halep struck back in the second, breaking for 3-1, but Rybakina answered in the seventh game with a break back before losing serve again to trail 3-5 after salvaging three break points.

Halep squared the match at a set each from Rybakina's backhand error a game later.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Svitolina storms into semis of WTA finals

SHENZHEN, China -- Defending champion Elina Svitolina stormed into the semi-finals of the season-ending WTA Finals after a commanding win over Simona Halep on Wednesday, while Canadian sensation Bianca Andreescu retired hurt against Karolina Pliskova.

Andreescu injured her left knee in the third game after attempting to return a wide serve. She received heavy strapping during the subsequent medical timeout.

The 19-year-old gamely fought on but was noticeably hobbled and retired after the first set, which Pliskova won 6-3 in 51 minutes. Winless Andreescu can't qualify for the semi-finals, while Wimbledon champion Halep will play Pliskova to decide the group's second spot.

Andreescu, the youngest player in the draw, said she heard her "knee crack" but was unsure whether she would play the dead rubber against Svitolina on Friday.

"It (the knee) kind of went inwards," she told reporters. "Putting pressure afterwards on it really bothered me. I could barely bend my knee.

"Hopefully I can recover quickly," she added.

Pliskova said she was excited about her upcoming must-win match against Halep. 

"Of course, there's going to be some nerves but I think that's normal," she said. "You lose, you go home. There's not going to be anything we're not used to."

Svitolina will finish top of Purple Group after taking advantage of an error-strewn Halep to win 7-5, 6-3 in one hour and 39 minutes at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre.

Svitolina is the first player through to the semi-finals, having also beaten world number two Pliskova in straight sets on Monday. Svitolina had the better of long baseline rallies against an uncharacteristically errant Halep, who finished with 38 unforced errors.

"It's about managing attack and defense for me," Svitolina said. "I've been working on this. That's working well this week."

After a slow start, Halep came back into the contest. A powerful forehand winner down the line clinched her break in the fifth game before the players held serve.

Halep misfired sloppily in the 12th game as she handed Svitolina the first set with a slew of unforced errors.

Halep started well in the second set with an early break before falling away against the more consistent Svitolina.

The result broke a deadlock between the pair with Svitolina now holding a 5-4 edge and exacting revenge for a semi-loss to Halep at Wimbledon in July.

The 25-year-old is hoping to end a barren season on a high having failed to win a title since last year's WTA Finals triumph.

Halep said she had to sharpen her game to stay in the tournament. 

"I really want to win because I want to qualify from this group," she said.

"Hopefully I can recover because I'm a little bit tired and play better than today," she added.

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Tennis: Serena has lost 'intimidation' factor, says Halep

LONDON -- Simona Halep believes that Serena Williams has lost the intimidation factor that once condemned rivals to defeat even before they set foot on court.

Halep handed the American legend a 6-2, 6-2 rout in the Wimbledon final on Saturday to become the first Romanian to win a singles title at the All England Club.

The 56-minute dissection of the Williams playbook was the 23-time Slam winner's most lopsided loss in a major final.

With her 38th birthday fast approaching, her dream of matching Margaret Court's all-time mark of 24 majors seems as far away as it has ever been.

"I have always been intimidated a little bit when I faced Serena," admitted 27-year-old Halep.

"She's an inspiration for everyone and the model for everyone. But today I decided before the match that I'm going to focus on myself and on the final of Grand Slam, not on her. 

"That's why I was able to play my best, to be relaxed, and to be able to be positive and confident against her."

It was a tactic which worked to perfection for the world number seven who had lost nine of her previous 10 meetings with Williams.

Her only win had come at the season-ending WTA Finals in Singapore in 2014.

For Halep, it was a second Grand Slam title after breaking her duck at the 2018 French Open which had followed three losses in title matches at the Slams.

On Saturday, she committed just three unforced errors; Williams was undone by 26.

"I'm very sure that was the best match of my life," said Halep.

The challenge now is for Halep to keep backing it up.

She has been a runner-up at the Australian Open, losing the 2018 final to Caroline Wozniacki.

Until this year, she had never got beyond the semi-finals at Wimbledon while a last-four run in 2015 remains her best performance at the US Open.

When she won the 2018 French Open, she exited Wimbledon in the third round and the US Open at the first hurdle.

"The finals I lost in the past helped me for sure to be different when I face this moment.

"It's never easy to play a Grand Slam final. You can get intimidated by the moment. You can get too nervous. 

"I have learned that it's a normal match, not thinking that much about the trophy, just going there and try to be the best as you can. So I did that. 

"I said that every time I would play a final of a Grand Slam, I will do exactly the same thing. So today I did it."

Halep, who is now looking forward to returning to the All England Club as a life member "to have dinner, have lunch, play a little bit of tennis" joked that her victory on Saturday was almost by royal command.

Up in the Royal Box was Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Halep's favourite.

"It was an honour to play in front of her. I had the chance to meet her after the match. She's very kind, very nice. 

"Yeah, it was an extra boost when I saw all of them there, the Royal family."

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Tennis: Simona Halep beats Serena to win Wimbledon singles title

LONDON—Serena Williams' wait for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title goes on after Simona Halep stunned the off-key American 6-2 6-2 in a one-sided Wimbledon final on Saturday.

An inspired Halep took full advantage of an error-strewn display by seven-times champion Williams to become the first Romanian to win a Wimbledon singles title.

The 27-year-old Halep, broke the Williams serve in the opening game and raced into a 4-0 lead in front of 15,000 disbelieving fans on Centre Court.

She remained rock solid throughout, making only three unforced errors, and Williams simply could not respond.

Even when Williams fired herself up at the start of the second set and began to strike the ball with her customary power, seventh seed Halep refused to take a backward step.

Halep weathered the storm and reeled off the last five games of what she described as the best match of her life.

Williams, who is still to add to her Grand Slam collection since giving birth to daughter Olympia in September 2017, looked out of ideas and the match ended after 56 minutes when she buried a forehand into the net -- her 26th unforced error.

"She played out of her mind," Williams, who had won nine of her previous 10 matches against Halep, said on court after picking up the runners-up salver for the second year running, having lost to a similarly inspired Angelique Kerber last year.

"It was a little bit a deer in headlights for me. Whenever a player plays like that you just have to take your hat off."

Until Saturday the only other Romanian to reach the Wimbledon final was Ilie Nastase who twice finished runner-up, in 1972 and 1976. But Halep went one better as she added the Wimbledon crown to the French Open she won in 2018.

"It's something very special and I'll never forget this day. It was my mum's dream when I was about 10. The day came," former world number one Halep said.

"Well I had nerves, my stomach wasn't well before. But I knew there was no time for emotions so I just came out on court to do my best." (Reporting by Martyn Herman Editing by Toby Davis)

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Tennis: Simona Halep reaches Wimbledon final, as Romania makes history

Simona Halep became the first Romanian woman to reach the Wimbledon final on Thursday when she defeated Ukraine's Elina Svitolina 6-1, 6-3.

The 27-year-old seventh seed, who was French Open champion in 2018, will be playing in her fifth Grand Slam final.

"It's an amazing feeling but I am also excited and nervous. It is one of the best moments of my life," said Halep.

"The match was not easy, the games were long and went deep.

"I fought hard to win this match and I was strong mentally and physically and had the right tactics."

Halep will face either seven-time champion Serena Williams or unseeded Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic for the title on Saturday.

Halep, who had knocked out new star, 15-year-old Coco Gauff in the last 16, lost in her previous semi-final appearance at Wimbledon to Eugenie Bouchard in 2014.

However, she said she was a different player now and had taken to grass.

"I have more experience, I don't give up anymore," se said.

"I plan to be the best version of myself and fight to the end."

The easy manner in which former world number one Halep wrapped up the match had not looked on the cards at the outset.

Svitolina, the first Ukrainian woman to reach a Grand Slam semi-final, and Halep traded shots aplenty and break points in the opening two games which took over 20 minutes to complete but Halep emerged on top with a 2-0 lead.

Svitolina, being watched from the players box by her English coach Andy Bettles and French boyfriend and ATP star Gael Monfils, briefly raised her game to break back.

However, Halep broke again immediately and 24-year-old Svitolina gave an indication of her increasing frustration when she netted a simple volley and lashed out, kicking the ball into the net.

Worse was to come for Svitolina on her next service game wheh Halep produced a stunning shot to go 5-1.

The 27-year-old Romanian dashed across court to get to Svitolina's drop shot and flashed it cross court.

Halep, who had not faced a seeded player until Svitolina, faced some resistance as she served for the set eventually taking it on her sixth set point.

Although Svitolina stayed with Halep for the first part of the second set, the self-belief and fight had gone and when the Romanian broke for 4-3 it was game over.

All that was left was for Haelp to raise her arms in the air and her eyes to the sky blowing a kiss a the same time.

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Tennis: Halep into second Wimbledon semi-final

Simona Halep reached her second Wimbledon semi-final on Tuesday with a 7-6 (4), 6-1 victory over China's Zhang Shuai.

Halep, the seventh seeded former world number one, will face either Elina Svitolina, the eighth seed from Ukraine, or Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic for a place in the final.

Zhang, bidding to become just the second Chinese woman to reach the semi-finals, led 4-1 in the first set and held four break points for a 5-1 lead.

"I fought hard in the first set, even if I was down 4-1," said 27-year-old Halep, a former French Open champion.

"I knew I had to be strong, play aggressive as much as possible and I did it great.

"I have energy, I feel fresh, I feel healthy, I feel confident when I step on the court."

Romania's Halep last made the last-four in 2014 when she was beaten by Eugenie Bouchard.

dj/pi

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Tennis: Bertens earns flawless Madrid triumph with win over Halep

MADRID - Kiki Bertens won the biggest title of her career on Saturday, beating Simona Halep 6-4 6-4 in the Madrid Open final while also becoming the first woman ever to win the championship without dropping a set.

Making up for her loss in last year's final to Petra Kvitova, the clay court triumph ensured the Dutchwoman Bertens will move to a career-best fourth in the world rankings on Monday and become the highest ranked Dutchwoman in history.

The defeat was extra painful for Halep, though, who would have regained her number one ranking had she won the showpiece.

Bertens came back from 4-2 down in the first set against French Open champion Halep by winning the next three games, striking the first blow in a gripping final full of drama which lasted one hour and 27 minutes.

Bertens, who hit four aces among her 25 winners in an excellent performance, got off to an ideal start in the opening game of the second by breaking Halep, who was playing in her third Madrid final after triumphs in 2016 and 2017.

The Romanian stayed in contention but was dealt a terrible dose of luck in the eighth game which handed more momentum to Bertens.

A shot from Bertens was heading way out and would have handed Halep two break points but the wayward ball struck the Romanian's body, earning her opponent a fortuitous point that eventually led to her holding serve.

"REALLY SOLID, REALLY SMART"

"At the beginning I was a little bit searching for my game still, but I think the rest of the match I played really solid, really smart," Bertens told a news conference.

"Maybe a little bit lucky like on the 4-3 game when I hit the ball in the fence and it hit her but sometimes you need a little luck. I'm just happy how I was able to finish the match."

Bertens earned her first championship point with a scorching ace but Halep saved it with a drop volley at the net, only to then hand her rival another one by finding the net with a careless shot.

Bertens missed out again but earned a third championship point when Halep narrowly missed the baseline and she finally seized her ninth WTA title when the world number two hit a backhand out.

It was Bertens' fourth victory over a Grand Slam winner during the week on her way to the title.

"I just feel really happy. I am really proud of this week. I played some good tennis and will be number four in the world on Monday, it is just all amazing things," Bertens added.

Halep had no complaints, congratulating her opponent while admitting she played into Bertens' hands.

"She played better tennis tonight. She deserved to win the match, definitely," she said.

"I think I played wrong, and I'm upset about that. I played stupidly today, I did everything that she liked. It was a good match from her. And she deserved to win the title because she played really good tennis throughout the whole week." 

(Reporting by Richard Martin Editing by Ian Chadband)

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Tennis: Osaka 'dodged bullet' in Stuttgart as rival Halep pulls out

STUTTGART -- World number one Naomi Osaka said Tuesday she had "dodged a bullet" after Simona Halep, her main pursuer in the WTA rankings, pulled out of this week's tournament in Stuttgart. 

Japanese rising star Osaka, 21, launches her clay season in Stuttgart this week, and her hopes of holding on to her spot at the top of the rankings were given a boost when world number two Halep withdrew with a hip injury earlier Tuesday.

"She was getting really close," said Osaka, who is less than 200 points ahead of Halep in the WTA rankings. "I feel like I dodged a bullet there."

Osaka said that winning was not everything in Stuttgart, where she last played as a qualifier in 2017.

"I don't want to overhype myself and say, 'I will win the tournament'," she insisted.

"I just want to have fun and experience the German crowd, because last time I was here, I was kind of a nobody."

She is definitely no longer a 'nobody', having won back-to-back Grand Slam titles in the United States and Australia since September. 

However, she admitted finding it difficult to adjust to her newfound global fame. 

"It is something that happened really quickly. In the beginning it was tough for me, because I put a lot of pressure on myself," she said. 

"I feel like there is certain things, I should be doing, that I am not doing right now."

Osaka has not won a title since her Australian Open triumph in January, suffering early exits at three recent WTA tournaments. 

She was reluctant to speak about her split with her German coach Sascha Bajin earlier this year.

"I feel like I get in trouble for answering questions like this. There were irreconcilable differences," she said.

Osaka said she hoped to get more used to playing on clay ahead of the French Open next month. 

"I feel, that on every surface of the season I do have a lot more experience than on clay."

"The bounces are different and you have to swing for the ball. For me it is a little bit difficult, because I can´t hit as flat."

Osaka is expected to play her first game on Thursday, where she faces a potential clash with Taiwan's Hsieh Su-wei, who beat her in Miami last month.

- Kerber eyes Career Slam on clay -

Reigning Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber, meanwhile, has recovered from illness in time to launch her clay season on home soil as she eyes a career Grand Slam in Paris this year.

Kerber has won every major except the French Open since 2016, but she has never got past the quarter-finals at Roland Garros. 

"You know clay and me, you know the story," she told reporters with a smile on Monday. 

"It’s a tough challenge (to win all four Grand Slam tournaments), but I will not put too much pressure on my side."

"Right now, I will focus on the tournaments ahead, and then when I'm in Paris, I will think about the Paris situation."

Kerber missed out on Germany's Fed Cup play-off win over Latvia last week after she picked up an illness earlier this month, but said on Tuesday that she had returned to full strength. 

Halep's absence has given the German a little more breathing space.

Instead of playing a first-round match against Donna Vekic on Wednesday, Kerber gets a bye to the second round, where she faces a potential clash with compatriot Andrea Petkovic. 

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Tennis: Halep battles into Miami 4th round clash with Venus

MIAMI -- Simona Halep kept alive hopes of regaining the world number one ranking Sunday, beating Polona Hercog 5-7, 7-6 (7/1), 6-2 to reach the last 16 of the WTA and ATP Miami Open.

The 27-year-old lost her place at the top of the women’s game following Naomi Osaka's triumph at the Australian Open earlier this year.

But with the Japanese faltering here on Saturday, Halep can return to the position she last held at the end of 2018 if she lands the Miami Open for the first time.

The Romanian, who will also move up the to the top of the rankings if she reaches the final and Petra Kvitova doesn't win the title, will certainly have to put in a better display than the patchy performance which eventually sent the gutsy Hercog, the world number 93 from Slovenia, out.

"She played unbelievable and it was such a tough match," said Halep, who belted 48 winners compared to her opponent's 38 but won just 31% of points on her first serve.

"It was good to play for almost three hours though. I slowly found my rhythm but I always had belief so if I can keep doing this, I will have a good tournament.”

She next faces seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams, who swept past Russian Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 6-1.

Halep, the 2018 French Open champion and current world number three, arrived in Miami having failed to get past the round of 16 in Indian Wells and the quarter-finals in Dubai.

She started sluggishly on the center court at Hard Rock Stadium, where Hercog moved into an early 3-1 lead.

Halep finally broke back for 4-4 but another sloppy game handed Hercog the opportunity to grab a first set lead which she duly took.

Halep was far more solid in the second, despite missing the chance to draw level when she was broken serving at 5-3 and Hercog kept her nerve make it 5-5.

As the clock ticked past two hours, a brilliant drop shot by Hercog ensured a second set tie break only for Halep to emphatically win it 7-1 before the decider was sealed for the Romanian when she held to love after 2 hours and 50 minutes.

On the men's side, defending champion John Isner blew Spain's Albert Ramos-Vinolas off court with serves touching 139 mph as the American sealed an ultimately comprehensive 7-5, 7-6 (8-6) win.

He was broken in the very first game but responded by hitting a total of 16 aces to set up an intriguing match with Kyle Edmund in the last 16 after the British number one impressively saw off Canadian Milos Raonic 6-4 6-4.

"I did a lot of things well," Isner said. "I played a good first set, even though I didn't start it off well. In the second, it wasn't quite as clean. But I'm into the Round of 16 of a big tournament and I'm happy."

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Tennis: Osaka, Halep sent packing from Indian Wells

Naomi Osaka followed Simona Halep through the exit door at the BNP Paribas Open on Tuesday as the top two players in the world were sent packing in the fourth round at Indian Wells.

World number one Osaka never found her rhythm against Belinda Bencic as the Swiss used her precise groundstrokes and pinpoint serving to topple the defending champion 6-3 6-1 in just over an hour.

The 22-year-old Bencic, who has risen as high as world number seven before missing time with injuries, hit a forehand volley on match point to seal the win and send her into the quarter-finals, where she will face either Karolina Pliskova or Anett Kontaveit.

Bencic, the world number 23, has made a habit of upending top 10 players of late, defeating four en route to winning the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships last month.

Osaka's loss ended a bad day for world number ones after the men's top player, Serb Novak Djokovic, fell 6-4 6-4 to Philipp Kohlschreiber.

Earlier in the day, Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova ran Halep ragged before dumping the Romanian out of the tournament 6-2 3-6 6-2.

Halep, who received medical treatment for blisters on her foot during the match, won less than half of her first-service points and hit just six winners to go with 36 unforced errors.

"I was running too much and too defensive," the Romanian told reporters. "But it's everything I could do today."

Halep's loss ensured Osaka will retain her number one ranking after the tournament.

The win was 19-year-old Vondrousova's first over a top-10 player in six attempts.

"I think I'm playing well all week but this is something special because she's number two in the world," Vondrousova said. "I was just fighting for every point."

Another teenager, unseeded Canadian Bianca Andreescu, upset 18th seed Wang Qiang of China 7-5 6-2 to book her place in the quarters. The win was the 18-year-old Andreescu's 25th of the year, the most of any WTA player.

She will next face Garbine Muguruza after the Spaniard battled back to dispatch Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands 5-7 6-1 6-4.

Ukrainian Elina Svitolina came from a break down in the third set to defeat Australian Ashleigh Barty 7-6(8) 5-7 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals for the first time. 

(Reporting by Rory Carroll; Editing by Toby Davis/Peter Rutherford)

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Serena outslugs top seed Halep as Djokovic battles on

MELBOURNE -- A fired-up Serena Williams slugged past world number one Simona Halep Monday as she inches ever closer to a 24th Grand Slam title, while Novak Djokovic survived a battle to stay on course for a record seventh Australian Open crown.

In a towering performance, the American great scored her biggest win since having a baby to grind down the Romanian top seed 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 and move into a quarter-final against seventh seed Karolina Pliskova.

Czech Pliskova is another form player, winning the warm-up Brisbane International and easing past two-time Grand Slam winner Garbine Muguruza 6-3, 6-1 to set up the Williams clash.

"I'm such a fighter, I never give up," declared Williams after the epic encounter.

"It was an intense match and there were some incredible points but I love playing tennis and being out here and I love this court, it's really cool to be back."

While Williams stayed calm, highly-rated German fourth seed Alexander Zverev lost the plot against Canadian Milos Raonic, crashing 6-1, 6-1, 7-6 (7/5) and demolishing a racquet in a massive meltdown.

And Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta also let the pressure get to him, ranting at the umpire after a disputed call when leading the final tiebreak 8-5 against Japan's Kei Nishikori.

He failed to win another point and was booed as he stormed off Margaret Court Arena, angrily throwing his kit bag after losing a 5hr 5min marathon 6-7 (8/10), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 7-6 (10/8).

Nishikori will now play six-time champion Djokovic, who dropped a set for the second match in a row before seeing off 15th-seeded Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-3.

"It was definitely a physical battle. It was difficult to get through him," the Serbian world number one said. "In these kinds of matches you just have to hang in there."

- Elevate game -

Dominant Williams overshadowed them all and is overwhelming favourite to win an eighth Australian title, with defending champion Caroline Wozniacki and second seed Angelique Kerber already out.

She has been in ominous form at Melbourne Park as she seeks one more major title to put her alongside Margaret Court's record 24, and it looked like French Open champion Halep would be another easy scalp after a first set rout.

But the nuggety Romanian isn't world number one for nothing and she bounced back to set up a huge power struggle that Williams finally won with a break in the seventh game of the third set.

"I really needed to elevate my game. She's a great player," said Williams.

Fourth seed Naomi Osaka, meanwhile, was composed as she beat crafty Latvian Anastasija Sevastova, emerging from an error-strewn first to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

"I think the biggest thing for me is the belief. I think I believe in myself more this year than I have last year," said the bubbly 21-year-old, who beat Williams in the US Open final last year.

She next faces ambitious sixth seed Elina Svitolina, who needed to dig deep to overcome 17th seeded Madison Keys 6-2, 1-6, 6-1.

Svitolina was a quarter-finalist at Melbourne Park last year and has set her sights high after her breakthrough in winning the WTA Finals Singapore, targeting a Grand Slam win and world number one.

Earlier on Rod Laver Arena, Zverev self-destructed to slump out at the hands of Raonic.

The German has routinely been anointed as the flag-bearer for the next generation, but again failed to live up to his reputation and has now missed out on making the last eight of a major 14 times in 15 attempts.

So furious was he with his form, the 21-year-old had a major temper tantrum in the second set, whacking his racquet into the ground eight times to leave it a crumpled mess.

"I just tried to stay composed and it worked out well for me today," said cool 16th seed Raonic, who will now face Frenchman Lucas Pouille after he battled past Croat Borna Coric in four tough sets.


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Ailing Halep crashes to defeat against Cibulkova in Wuhan

World number one Simona Halep struggled to shake off the effects of a back injury before being beaten 6-0 7-5 by Slovak Dominika Cibulkova in the second round of the Wuhan Open on Tuesday.

Halep, who injured herself in training earlier this week, offered some resistance in the second set after a bad start to the match but could not prevent an early exit in her first tournament since the U.S. Open.

"It was tough to play in the beginning because my back was blocked. I knew it was, because we talked together with my team. Normally, I'd have to retire, but I didn't want to, and I don't like to do that. I pushed myself to play better," Halep said.

"I'm not disappointed, but I'm just sad this injury came from nowhere. I'm just going to go with the flow, and we'll see what's going to happen in a few days."

Up next for Cibulkova is Russia's Daria Kasatkina who saved four match points before overcoming Chinese 17-year-old Wang Xiyu 6-1 3-6 7-6(8).

Former world number one Karolina Pliskova was not as lucky against another local hope in Wang Qiang, who clinched a 6-1 3-6 6-3 victory in two hours and eight minutes.

Qualifier Katerina Siniakova, who was down a set and facing match point, produced a remarkable comeback to beat defending champion Caroline Garcia 3-6 7-6(5) 7-6(4).

Reigning Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki admitted to not being at her best yet despite powering past Rebecca Peterson 6-4 6-1 in 88 minutes.

"I was a little rusty, but I played a really good opponent today," Wozniacki, who has not made it past the second round of a tournament since winning the Eastbourne title in June, said.

Spaniard Garbine Muguruza also made short work of Viktorija Golubic, winning 6-0 6-1 while Petra Kvitova beat Aleksandra Krunic 6-3 6-4.

(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru Editing by Christian Radnedge)

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Tennis: Halep through but Stephens exits in Cincinnati

Top seed Simona Halep returned to sew up victory over Ajla Tomljanovic on Thursday after their second round match at the Cincinnati Open had been suspended the previous day due to rain, while reigning U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens was knocked out in the third round by Elise Mertens.

Stephens, seeded third, fell to the 15th seeded Belgian 7-6(8) 6-2 and failed to reach the quarter-finals for the third time in her past four events.

German fourth seed Angelique Kerber was also upset, going down 2-6 7-6(3) 6-4 to American Madison Keys, while Aryna Sabalenka beat sixth seed Caroline Garcia 6-4 3-6 7-5.

Keys recorded 55 winners to beat Kerber, a rare victory over the German who has come out on top in seven of their nine meetings.

"Considering the last -- what was it, six times? -- it didn't go so hot, this victory feels good,” Keys said.

“More than anything, it was just how I handled being down and not letting the previous results kind of spiral in my head for me. I think that's what I'm happiest with.”

Halep had been two games away from reaching the third round when rain interrupted her match against Australian Tomljanovic on Wednesday, and while the conclusion was delayed again for about four hours on Thursday the Romanian wasted little time wrapping it up when she got the chance, sealing it 4-6 6-3 6-3.

Halep had been due to play her third-round match on Thursday against another Australian, Ashleigh Barty, but that has been postponed until Friday.

Halep owns a 1-0 career record against Barty, with the win coming last week in the semi-finals at Montreal where the French Open champion went on to capture her third title of the season.

Kiki Bertens and Anett Kontaveit had their match suspended due to rain. Bertens took the first set 6-3 and Kontaveit led 4-1 in the second when play was halted. (Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto, editing by Pritha Sarkar/Peter Rutherford)

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Halep beats Stephens in Montreal in repeat of French Open win

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."

(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

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French Open: No pressure for Simona Halep ahead of title match vs Sloane Stephens

Top seed Simona Halep insisted that she "doesn't feel pressure" ahead of her third French Open final on Saturday, where she will face American Sloane Stephens.

The Romanian is still waiting for a maiden Grand Slam title after three previous final defeats, while 10th seed Stephens is the reigning US Open champion.

Halep has been in fine form so far at Roland Garros and eased past former winner Garbine Muguruza 6-1, 6-4 in the last four -- a victory which also ensured she will remain the world number one at the end of the tournament.

"I don't know who said that I feel pressure. Not me, obviously. I don't feel pressure," she said on Friday.

The 26-year-old has twice lost in the Roland Garros final.

She fought back from a set down against Maria Sharapova in 2014 only to lose a tight decider, before seeing a set and 3-0 lead disappear in a barrage of Jelena Ostapenko winners last year.

"I feel that it's a big challenge for me. It's a big chance to win my dream tournament," added Halep, who took time out from preparing for the final by watching Rafael Nadal's men's semi-final against Juan Martin del Potro on Friday.

"But this doesn't mean it's going to happen or something like that. I have just to play like I did yesterday (against Muguruza).

"So we will see what is going to happen tomorrow, but I just want to be smiling on court."

Halep's previous French Open final losses came against powerful ball-strikers in Sharapova and Ostapenko, but Stephens's game is more defensive and the Romanian leads 5-2 in their head-to-head record.

But Halep doesn't want to focus on that, even though it must give her added confidence.

"I don't want to think about that because, as I said many times, it's a different match, different situation. Both of us will be ready to give everything we have," she said.

"But I believe in my chance. I believe that I have the game to win the match."

Halep has won her last four matches against Stephens and both of their meetings on clay, including in the 2014 French Open fourth round, while the two have never played a three-set encounter.

But the American 10th seed has never lost a WTA final, with her triumph in the Miami Open in March her sixth win from six.

"I think I'm pretty calm on the court all the time, I'd say. I don't get too up, too down," said Stephens.

"I think that it has helped me in finals, but, yeah, it's not something I really focus on. I just try to stay calm and play my game."

Halep is bidding to become only the second Romanian woman to win a Grand Slam after 1978 French Open champion Virginia Ruzici, who is now Halep's manager and had a special ceremony on Court Philippe Chatrier earlier this week to commemorate her victory 40 years ago.

But Stephens has had a steely determination about her since fighting back from injury and a ranking of 957 less than a year ago, and will have nothing to lose.

"Yeah, just another good opportunity," she said. "Just going to take it in (my) stride and just enjoy it and go out and compete."

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Australian Open: Caroline Wozniacki wins title, reclaims top world ranking

MELBOURNE—Caroline Wozniacki claimed her maiden grand slam title with a 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4 win over top seed Simona Halep in the Australian Open final on Saturday.

The second-seeded Dane also claimed the world No. 1 ranking from Halep, exactly six years after relinquishing it at the 2012 Australian Open. (Editing by Pritha Sarkar)

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Tennis: Halep roars back to dismantle Pliskova

MELBOURNE - Top seed Simona Halep recovered from a slow start before racing away to a 6-3 6-2 victory over big-serving Czech sixth seed Karolina Pliskova in their Australian Open quarter-final on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old Romanian world number one, still seeking a first grand slam title, trailed 3-0 but battened down the hatches to reel off the next nine games on her way to a first Melbourne semi-final.

An increasingly deflated Pliskova eventually stopped the rot but with Halep offering precious little in the way of cheap points, the result soon became a formality.

Halep made only 10 unforced errors in the one hour, 11 minute contest on Rod Laver Arena and sealed victory with a deep return which Pliskova could only slap into the net.

She described the performance as her best of the tournament so far but she might need to go up another level in the semi-final, where she faces the in-form 2016 Melbourne champion Angelique Kerber.

"I think this was a great match. The best this tournament. I started slow but then I got used to the rhythm. I got used to everything. I played very well," she said.

"You never know with her because she has crazy good shots sometimes and also the serve. But I read her serve many times today. I just was very strong on the return."

There was early encouragement for Pliskova as she held an extended opening service game then cracked a forehand winner to earn a break point, which she converted when Halep missed a forehand over the baseline.

When she held for 3-0 there was no hint of what was to come.

Halep, saved a break point in the next game as Pliskova netted a routine forehand, then settled into her usual groove and the errors began to flow from across the net.

Pliskova surrendered the opening set with a double-fault and dropped serve again to trail 2-0 in the second.

Halep, who said she was untroubled by the ankle problem that has bothered her at times here, was never going to lose her grip from there, even if Pliskova did offer some late resistance.

Pliskova was left to rue the chance she had to make it 4-0.

"That was a huge game to go a double-break up," she said after Halep improved her head-to-head record against the Czech to 6-1.

"It would be not for sure, but most probably my set, the first one. I don't think I did something that wrong. Maybe just the big points I play bad against her, then it changes quickly.

"I think all the matches we play are pretty similar. I feel she just likes my game." (Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by John O'Brien)

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Tennis: Brave Halep wins marathon to reach fourth round

MELBOURNE - A courageous Simona Halep overcame three match points and throbbing ankle pain to edge out Lauren Davis 4-6 6-4 15-13 in a thrilling third round marathon at the Australian Open on Saturday.

The world number one fought back from the brink at 11-10 in the epic deciding set before finally serving out the contest on her fourth attempt after a taxing three hours and 44 minutes at Rod Laver Arena.

She sealed the win on her first match point when 76th-ranked Davis fired a forehand into the tramlines, as the hard-hitting American coughed up a mind-boggling 73rd unforced error.

A shattered Halep declared herself "almost dead" in the wake of a 142-minute deciding set featuring more twists than the Transfagarasan mountain highway in her native Romania.

It was a win, said the French Open finalist, that might have slipped through her fingers in years past.

"I think now I'm much stronger (mentally)," the 26-year-old told reporters. "I was a little bit frustrated because of the leg. I felt the pain all match, but I didn't give up.

"I could resist like for every moment in the match. That makes me very happy, and I think the big win is that I could handle it."

While consistently haunting the women's top five, a grand slam title has proven elusive for Halep, fanning doubts about her big match temperament.

But her brave effort against an inspired opponent can only help her self-belief for bigger tests to come.

The ankle remains a problem, though, and Halep said she would do precisely "nothing" on her rest day before a fourth round clash against home hope Ashleigh Barty or Japan's Naomi Osaka.

"After this match I think tomorrow (the ankle) is going to be worse, but I just push, push myself, and we will see what's going to happen," said Halep, a quarter-finalist at Melbourne Park in 2014 and 2015.

TOENAIL FAIL 

The diminutive Davis, a baby-faced 24-year-old with a monster forehand, was majestic in defeat.

She broke Halep three times when the Romanian had served for the match and came within an whisker of the biggest win of her career.

Swooping forward to pounce on a speculative drop-shot, she fired a pass by Halep to earn three match points at 11-10, but her victory push was hampered by jammed-up toenails.

"Yeah, that first match point just, I felt something and I couldn't really put any pressure -- it was my right toe, and then it eventually was my left toe, also," she said.

As Davis struggled with her feet, Halep nervelessly saved all three match points for a galvanising hold before Davis removed her footwear and walked gingerly to her chair.

She took a medical timeout that stalled Halep's momentum and the Romanian stared balefully from the baseline while the trainer worked on Davis.

Halep moved in for the kill but the American saved five break points, and later thanked the net cord for helping her hold again at 12-12.

Halep finally breached Davis's serve to move 14-13 ahead and steeled herself to close it out.

Dictating terms to the American in a 17-shot rally, Halep held on for a well earned victory when Davis misfired twice in a desperate late flurry.

"At 13-all when I took the game, I said 'it's my lucky number. So it's going to be two in a row now'," Halep said with a smile. (Editing by Greg Stutchbury/John O'Brien)

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Tennis: Sharapova sparkles on return to grand slam stage

NEW YORK -- Maria Sharapova proved she will be someone to contend with for the U.S. Open crown after the Russian wild card outlasted second seed Simona Halep, 6-4 4-6 6-3, on Monday, to get the year's final grand slam off to an electrifying start.

Still shaking off the rust from a 15-month doping ban and a string of nagging injuries, the 30-year-old Sharapova needed all her skill, determination and two hours and 44 minutes to snatch victory in front of a packed Arthur Ashe stadium.

The victory becomes the highlight of what has been a torturous comeback for the former world number one, who returned to tennis in April after being banned after testing positive for metabolic modulator meldonium at last year's Australian Open.

Her progress has been slowed by a thigh injury that forced her out of the Italian Open in May and more recently left arm issues in that took her out of the second round at Stanford earlier this month.

However, there was no hint of distress against an in-form Halep as she improved her record to 7-0 against the feisty Romanian in an opening round clash that was played with the intensity more befitting of a final.

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