Kucova was no match for two-time WTA champion Keys, who ended the dream run of the Slovakian qualifier after firing down nine aces, six of those coming in the second set, without facing a break point.
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Halep, the fifth seed, defeated second-seed Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-0, 3-6, 6-2 in a semifinal Saturday at Uniprix Stadium to reach the Rogers Cup championship game for a second year in a row.
Kucova was the surprise of the tournament, but the Slovak was never able to get into the long exchanges she thrives on against Keys. It was an incredible atmosphere down there. She won $497,700 while Keys took home $241,840.
The big-serving Keys, who is also known for her powerful game from the baseline, made a string of unforced errors to gift Halep a 6-1 lead in the tiebreak before losing the opening set after hitting a backhand wide. “I was not playing my best”. She arrived last week in time to take part in the 40th anniversary of the 1976 Montreal Olympics. All I can say is that I’m very happy I could win against her, because we always have tough matches.
“It means a lot, it was really nice to win today”, Halep told ESPN in a courtside interview.
Halep needed just 75 minutes to defeat the 21 year old Keys, the No. 10 seed, who quickly lost control of the first set tie breaker and was unable to put up any resistance in the second set.
Besides Halep, Romania has three other players in the top 100, namely Irina-Camelia Begu – 31st, Monica Niculescu – 56th, and Sorana Cirstea – 90th. “Some days, the balls fall in and other days they end up in the stands”, joked Keys. “I think I did it pretty well, and she missed”. “I think it was just a matter of close points here or there”.
“That was really the whole match. To hit the ball, because I started to push it”. “I was just going for some shots too early”.
But Halep, who now climbs to world number three, was more clinical in the second set and she clinched a third title of the season having already won in Madrid and Bucharest. Keys beat Williams on Thursday night.
“I think I was very tight on my serve because I know she’s going to return very strong”, said Halep.
The triumph was Halep’s 14th WTA title and few would have come tougher.
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Late, 10th-seeded Madison Keys of the United States beat 16th-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russian Federation 7-6 (7-3), 1-6, 6-0. Halep was attempting to become the first to sweep the titles at the Rogers Cup since Martina Hingis in 2000.
