Fifth seed Simona Halep secured a 6-0 3-6 6-2 upset victory over second seed Angelique Kerber of Germany in Saturday’s Rogers Cup semi-final.
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Simona Halep has defeated Madison Keys in straight sets, sealing a 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 victory, to win the women’s final of the Rogers Cup in Montreal.
In truth, the first set was low on quality and there were eight breaks of serve, while Keys – playing in the biggest final of her career – recorded 27 unforced errors and Halep just one victor. “I knew it was going to be a tough one”, Halep said.
6-3 to claim her third title of the year.
Halep outlasted the 10th-seeded Keys in a messy first set and dominated the second in a 1-hour, 16-minute hardcourt match in warm, sunny weather. “I just felt I maybe panicked a little bit, tried to finish the points too soon”.
“I don’t think I was serving as well”, said Keys.
Keys then held tough to stay in, breaking her more-experienced opponent’s serve to level the set at six games apiece and force a tiebreak.
“I like being here in Montreal a lot”, said the emotional Halep, who in multiple matches was saved by the WTA on-court coaching rule when her coach Darren Cahill came on court to save what would likely have been potential earlier exits in the tournament as Halep appeared directionless. “I think I played really a pretty good tournament”, Keys said. The most recent match was in this year’s Wimbledon, a match Halep won in three sets. “I knew I had to go for it, take chances and be a little bit risky to win against her”.
Halep is the first player to reach back-to-back finals in the event since Jennifer Capriati did it in 2001 and 2002.
Konta was left to rue her wastefulness, only converting one of five break-point opportunities in her straight-sets loss to Kucova. “I think it was just a matter of close points here or there”. The Swiss second seed will next face Japanese third seed Kei Nishikori, who beat former top-10 player Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 with four breaks of the Bulgarian’s serve.
Halep is also in the doubles final with compatriot Monica Niculescu to be played later Sunday against Russians Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Visnina.
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With the first set in pocket, Halep, spurred on by the boisterous Romanian support and first set success, raced out to an early lead, holding in the opening game of the set before breaking the American’s serve to go up 2-0.
