Simona Halep is in the final of the $2.4 million US women's Rogers Cup for a second straight year.
The fifth seed from Romania defeated second-seed Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-0, 3-6, 6-2 in a semifinal Saturday at Uniprix Stadium in which the she dominated the first half, saw Kerber take over midway through the second set, then took over again in the third.
Halep will play in the final on Sunday against the winner of a later semifinal between 10th seeded Madison Keys of the United States and qualifier Kristina Kucova of Slovakia.
In last year's final in Toronto, Halep retired in the third set with an illness, handing the win to unseeded Belinda Bencic of Switzerland. Her march to that final included a win over Kerber. Halep has beaten Kerber all four times they met on hard courts, but lost their two matches on other surfaces.
The two players took turns either dominating or struggling, with only a few games where both players looked sharp at once.
Kerber, the reigning Australian Open champion, looked lost in the opening set, losing her first two service games thanks to an erratic serve that included three double faults. More than once the left-hander made gestures of frustration on court after misfired shots.
She gave up another break point on a double fault to fall behind 2-3 in the second set, but then broke straight back. It was Halep making angry swings that didn't quite connect with the ground after a shot into the net as Kerber held service for 4-3.
Kerber won six games in a row, including a service break to start the third set, but then Halep took over again with a break to tie it 2-2 and go on a run of six consecutive game wins to end the match.
In the final game, Kerber fought off four match points, but then saw her final shot hit the net cord and drop perhaps a centimetre outside the line.
Halep reaches 2nd straight Rogers Cup final
0 commentaires:
Enregistrer un commentaire