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 number one ranking from Halep, exactly six years after relinquishing it at the 2012 Australian Open.&nbsp;

Caroline Wozniacki won the first set of the Australian Open women`s final 7-6 (7/2) against Simona Halep as she attempts to claim a first-ever Grand Slam title on Saturday.

The imposing Dane got an early break to go 2-0 up and it went with serve until Halep pounced to break back for 4-5 and take it to a tiebreak.&nbsp;

Wozniacki quickly took charge, winning the tiebreak 7-2 when Halep sent a forehand into the net.

Halep and Wozniacki are looking for their first. They are both in their third major decider but have never won.

Wozniacki, 27, has long carried the unwanted moniker of best player never to claim a major, having reached the US Open final in 2009 and 2014, and first becoming number one in 2010.

She is in her 43rd Grand Slam appearance and desperate to get off the mark.

The second-seeded Dane also claimed the world number one ranking from Halep

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 number one ranking from Halep, exactly six years after relinquishing it at the 2012 Australian Open. Caroline Wozniacki won the first set of the Australian Open women`s final 7-6 (7/2) against Simona Halep as she attempts to claim a first-ever Grand Slam title on Saturday. The imposing Dane got an early break to go 2-0 up and it went with serve until Halep pounced to break back for 4-5 and take it to a tiebreak. Wozniacki quickly took charge, winning the tiebreak 7-2 when Halep sent a forehand into the net. Halep and Wozniacki are looking for their first. They are both in their third major decider but have never won. Wozniacki, 27, has long carried the unwanted moniker of best player never to claim a major, having reached the US Open final in 2009 and 2014, and first becoming number one in 2010. She is in her 43rd Grand Slam appearance and desperate to get off the mark.

Caroline Wozniacki beats Simona Halep to win Australian Open

World number one Simona Halep eased into the quarter-finals of the Australian Open Monday with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over unseeded Naomi Osaka of Japan in 81 minutes.

&quot;I`m really happy that I`m back in the quarter-finals,&quot; said the Romanian, who last made it this far in 2015 and has been nursing a troublesome ankle that she rolled in her first-round match.&nbsp;

&quot;The injury is still there. I feel it but I`m trying not to think about it and give it everything.&quot;

Halep was delighted to be on court for 143 minutes less than her previous match against Lauren Davis, which at 3hr 44min was the longest of the tournament.

&quot;Actually, this tournament looks like a marathon for me,&quot; she said, after spending almost nine hours on court so far, more than any other player.&nbsp;

&quot;I`m really proud I could stay focused and make every point very focused and concentrated.&quot;&nbsp;

The big-hitting Osaka had her chances, notably in the fifth game of the first set when she squandered five points to break the Halep serve. The Romanian compounded Osaka`s disappointment immediately with a break of her own.

She served out to take the set in 42 minutes and immediately broke the Japanese player again to start the second.

The players matched each other with 22 winners apiece but Osaka`s 31 unforced errors ultimately proved her downfall against the consistent Halep.

The top seed is guaranteed to meet a Czech opponent for a place in the semi-finals, either sixth seed Karolina Pliskova or Barbora Strycova, the 20th seed, who play later.

Halep was delighted to be on court for 143 minutes less than her previous match against Lauren Davis

World number one Simona Halep eased into the quarter-finals of the Australian Open Monday with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over unseeded Naomi Osaka of Japan in 81 minutes. "I`m really happy that I`m back in the quarter-finals," said the Romanian, who last made it this far in 2015 and has been nursing a troublesome ankle that she rolled in her first-round match. "The injury is still there. I feel it but I`m trying not to think about it and give it everything." Halep was delighted to be on court for 143 minutes less than her previous match against Lauren Davis, which at 3hr 44min was the longest of the tournament. "Actually, this tournament looks like a marathon for me," she said, after spending almost nine hours on court so far, more than any other player. "I`m really proud I could stay focused and make every point very focused and concentrated." The big-hitting Osaka had her chances, notably in the fifth game of the first set when she squandered five points to break the Halep serve. The Romanian compounded Osaka`s disappointment immediately with a break of her own. She served out to take the set in 42 minutes and immediately broke the Japanese player again to start the second. The players matched each other with 22 winners apiece but Osaka`s 31 unforced errors ultimately proved her downfall against the consistent Halep. The top seed is guaranteed to meet a Czech opponent for a place in the semi-finals, either sixth seed Karolina Pliskova or Barbora Strycova, the 20th seed, who play later.

Australia Open: Top seed Simona Halep eases into Aussie Open last eight

World number one Simona Halep cruised into the third round of the Australian Open on Thursday with an easy 6-2, 6-2 victory over Eugenie Bouchard.

The Romanian top seed needed just an hour and five minutes to sweep past the Canadian on Margaret Court Arena.

She will face unseeded American Lauren Davis on Saturday for a place in the last 16 as she steps up her quest for a first Grand Slam title.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
&quot;I feel the pain but I didn&#39;t think about it. I just wanted to play the match and to win it.&quot; 
 
[1] <a href="https://twitter.com/Simona_Halep?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Simona_Halep</a> defeats Eugenie <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bouchard?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bouchard</a> 6-2 6-2 to progress to the third round.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/M6mSqZJ2TJ">pic.twitter.com/M6mSqZJ2TJ</a>
&mdash; #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/953920868379275265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

The Romanian top seed needed just an hour and five minutes to sweep past the Canadian on Margaret Court Arena

World number one Simona Halep cruised into the third round of the Australian Open on Thursday with an easy 6-2, 6-2 victory over Eugenie Bouchard. The Romanian top seed needed just an hour and five minutes to sweep past the Canadian on Margaret Court Arena. She will face unseeded American Lauren Davis on Saturday for a place in the last 16 as she steps up her quest for a first Grand Slam title. "I feel the pain but I didn't think about it. I just wanted to play the match and to win it." [1] @Simona_Halep defeats Eugenie #Bouchard 6-2 6-2 to progress to the third round.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/M6mSqZJ2TJ — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2018 ×

Australian Open: Simona Halep thrashes Eugenie Bouchard to reach third round

A dramatic and intense game ended in the favour of world number one Simona Halep. She defeated Destanee Aiava after coming back&nbsp;from 5-2 and a set point down against Australian teenager to win the first-round match at the Australian Open on Tuesday.

Both the Romanian and her 17-year-old wildcard opponent needed on-court medical attention before top seed Halep ran out a battling 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 winner in an hour and 51 minutes.&nbsp;

The top seed had fallen at the first hurdle in the past two years at Melbourne Park and another shock was beckoning when the big-hitting Australian took a 5-2 lead in the first set buoyed by rowdy home supporters.

&quot;She was a very tough opponent,&quot; said a relieved Halep after the match.

&quot;She&#39;s very talented and powerful. She reminds me a little bit of Serena Williams.&quot;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
&quot;It was a pleasure to be back here on centre court.&quot; 
 
The world No. 1️⃣ is through to the second round! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/AZFrRMmUmk">pic.twitter.com/AZFrRMmUmk</a>
&mdash; #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/953167168782430208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Halep showed little of the form which helped her to the Shenzhen title two weeks ago but used her all experience to extend the rallies and force the ailing Australian to dig deep.

Simona Halep will face Canada&#39;s Eugenie Bouchard, a former semi-finalist in Melbourne and Roland Garros, and a finalist at Wimbledon in 2014.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-wawrinka-zverev-djokovic-progress-to-second-round-29679">Australian Open: Wawrinka, Zverev, Djokovic enter second round</a>

Simona Halep beat Destanee Aiava, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1. She will face Canada's Eugenie Bouchard in the second round

A dramatic and intense game ended in the favour of world number one Simona Halep. She defeated Destanee Aiava after coming back from 5-2 and a set point down against Australian teenager to win the first-round match at the Australian Open on Tuesday. Both the Romanian and her 17-year-old wildcard opponent needed on-court medical attention before top seed Halep ran out a battling 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 winner in an hour and 51 minutes. The top seed had fallen at the first hurdle in the past two years at Melbourne Park and another shock was beckoning when the big-hitting Australian took a 5-2 lead in the first set buoyed by rowdy home supporters. "She was a very tough opponent," said a relieved Halep after the match. "She's very talented and powerful. She reminds me a little bit of Serena Williams." "It was a pleasure to be back here on centre court." The world No. 1️⃣ is through to the second round! #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/AZFrRMmUmk — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2018 × Halep showed little of the form which helped her to the Shenzhen title two weeks ago but used her all experience to extend the rallies and force the ailing Australian to dig deep. Simona Halep will face Canada's Eugenie Bouchard, a former semi-finalist in Melbourne and Roland Garros, and a finalist at Wimbledon in 2014. Also read: Australian Open: Wawrinka, Zverev, Djokovic enter second round

Australian Open: The lucky red dress saved Simona as she survives first round

Roger Federer will open his Australian Open title defence against Slovenian Aljaz Bedene next week, while top seed Rafa Nadal, the losing finalist last year, was paired with Dominican Victor Estrella Burgos at the draw on Thursday.

Women&#39;s top seed Simona Halep of Romania faces Australian wildcard Destanee Aiava in the first round, with second seed Caroline Wozniacki starting out against Halep&#39;s compatriot Mihaela Buzarnescu.

Serena Williams will not defend the women&#39;s title having had her first child last year but 2008 champion Maria Sharapova, who failed a drugs test at the tournament in 2016, is back unseeded after a ban and will face Germany&#39;s Tatjana Maria.

Williams&#39;s sister Venus, who lost to her sibling in the final last year, is seeded fourth and the 37-year-old was handed a tricky first encounter against Swiss former world number seven Belinda Bencic, who is 17 years her junior.

Men&#39;s third seed Grigor Dimitrov will face a qualifier, with Alexander Zverev, ranked fourth, playing Italian Thomas Fabbiano but with 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka, returning after surgery, in his section of the draw.

Young gun Zverev had little luck in his first Australian Open draw as a top five seed with either Wawrinka, who plays Ricardas Berankis, or Novak Djokovic potentially standing in his path in the quarter-finals.

Six-times Melbourne Park champion Djokovic, seeded 14th after missing the back end of last season with an elbow injury, will take on American lefthander Donald Young in his first match with mercurial Frenchman Gael Monfils looming in round two.

Federer also has Milos Raonic, Juan Martin del Potro, David Goffin and Tomas Berdych in his quarter of the draw, while Nadal would appear to have the easier section, although former US Open champion Marin Cilic looms as a last-eight opponent.

If the draw goes to seeding, Dimitrov would face American Jack Sock in the last eight, with ailing world number five Dominic Thiem, who withdrew from Kooyong because of illness on Thursday, taking on Zverev.

Britain&#39;s Andy Murray and Japan`s Kei Nishikori have already withdrawn from the championships and women&#39;s world number three Garbine Muguruza has twice pulled out of tournaments over the last two weeks due to leg cramps and a thigh problem.

The Wimbledon champion is scheduled take on France&#39;s Jessika Ponchet in the first round, while French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko was paired with veteran Francesca Schiavone and US Open champion Sloane Stephens will take on China&#39;s Zhang Shuai.

Australia&#39;s sole men&#39;s seed, Nick Kyrgios, takes on Brazilian Rogerio Dutra Silva and local women`s 18th seed Ashleigh Barty takes on Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka.

Serena Williams will not defend the women's title having had her first child last year but 2008 champion Maria Sharapova, who failed a drugs test at the tournament in 2016, is back unseeded after a ban and will face Germany's Tatjana Maria.

Roger Federer will open his Australian Open title defence against Slovenian Aljaz Bedene next week, while top seed Rafa Nadal, the losing finalist last year, was paired with Dominican Victor Estrella Burgos at the draw on Thursday. Women's top seed Simona Halep of Romania faces Australian wildcard Destanee Aiava in the first round, with second seed Caroline Wozniacki starting out against Halep's compatriot Mihaela Buzarnescu. Serena Williams will not defend the women's title having had her first child last year but 2008 champion Maria Sharapova, who failed a drugs test at the tournament in 2016, is back unseeded after a ban and will face Germany's Tatjana Maria. Williams's sister Venus, who lost to her sibling in the final last year, is seeded fourth and the 37-year-old was handed a tricky first encounter against Swiss former world number seven Belinda Bencic, who is 17 years her junior. Men's third seed Grigor Dimitrov will face a qualifier, with Alexander Zverev, ranked fourth, playing Italian Thomas Fabbiano but with 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka, returning after surgery, in his section of the draw. Young gun Zverev had little luck in his first Australian Open draw as a top five seed with either Wawrinka, who plays Ricardas Berankis, or Novak Djokovic potentially standing in his path in the quarter-finals. Six-times Melbourne Park champion Djokovic, seeded 14th after missing the back end of last season with an elbow injury, will take on American lefthander Donald Young in his first match with mercurial Frenchman Gael Monfils looming in round two. Federer also has Milos Raonic, Juan Martin del Potro, David Goffin and Tomas Berdych in his quarter of the draw, while Nadal would appear to have the easier section, although former US Open champion Marin Cilic looms as a last-eight opponent. If the draw goes to seeding, Dimitrov would face American Jack Sock in the last eight, with ailing world number five Dominic Thiem, who withdrew from Kooyong because of illness on Thursday, taking on Zverev. Britain's Andy Murray and Japan`s Kei Nishikori have already withdrawn from the championships and women's world number three Garbine Muguruza has twice pulled out of tournaments over the last two weeks due to leg cramps and a thigh problem. The Wimbledon champion is scheduled take on France's Jessika Ponchet in the first round, while French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko was paired with veteran Francesca Schiavone and US Open champion Sloane Stephens will take on China's Zhang Shuai. Australia's sole men's seed, Nick Kyrgios, takes on Brazilian Rogerio Dutra Silva and local women`s 18th seed Ashleigh Barty takes on Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka.

Roger Federer to open Australian Open against Bedene

World number one Simona Halep fired a warning to her Australian Open rivals on Saturday, beating Katerina Siniakova in three sets to win the Shenzhen Open.

The final match was played indoors after repeated rain delays and began six hours after its scheduled time.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
????of Shenzhen Open 2018 Singles Finals (More to come) <a href="https://t.co/RaJPt1ZAFW">pic.twitter.com/RaJPt1ZAFW</a>
&mdash; Shenzhen Open (@ShenzhenOpenWTA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShenzhenOpenWTA/status/949624331566440450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

The Romanian saw off the reigning champion from the Czech Republic 6-1, 2-6, 6-0 in 72 rollercoaster minutes in southern China.

The 26-year-old Halep is guaranteed top seeding for the Australian Open, the season&#39;s first Grand Slam, which begins in Melbourne on January 15. 
&nbsp;

The Romanian saw off the reigning champion Katerina Siniakova from the Czech Republic by 6-1, 2-6, 6-0

World number one Simona Halep fired a warning to her Australian Open rivals on Saturday, beating Katerina Siniakova in three sets to win the Shenzhen Open. The final match was played indoors after repeated rain delays and began six hours after its scheduled time. ????of Shenzhen Open 2018 Singles Finals (More to come) pic.twitter.com/RaJPt1ZAFW — Shenzhen Open (@ShenzhenOpenWTA) January 6, 2018 × The Romanian saw off the reigning champion from the Czech Republic 6-1, 2-6, 6-0 in 72 rollercoaster minutes in southern China. The 26-year-old Halep is guaranteed top seeding for the Australian Open, the season's first Grand Slam, which begins in Melbourne on January 15.

Tennis: Simona Halep outplays Katerina Siniakova to win Shenzhen Open

Former French Open runner-up Simona Halep staged a remarkable fightback and saved a match point to reach the semi-finals with a 3-6 7-6(6) 6-0 win over Elina Svitolina on Wednesday.

Romanian third seed Halep trailed by a set and 5-1 against the hard-hitting fifth seed but somehow dug herself out of a hole before storming to victory to set up a semi-final against Czech second seed Karolina Pliskova.

Ukrainian Svitolina saved four set points at 5-6 in the second and then had a match point in the tiebreak which Halep saved with a brave backhand winner that kissed the sideline.

A rejuvenated Halep clinched the second set with a forehand winner and predictably swept through the decider as Svitolina&#39;s spirit sagged, sealing victory with an ace.

Halep will play second-seeded Czech Karolina Pliskova in the last four, while in the other half of the draw Latvian teenager Jelena Ostapenko will take on Swiss Timea Bacsinszky.

Of all the quarter-finalists, none of whom had won a major, Halep looked the more likely champion with her claycourt pedigree and a run to the 2014 final when she was beaten by Russian Maria Sharapova.

If she needed any more incentive, she can become world number one by winning the title.

Yet when the match started in front of a Suzanne Lenglen court crowd that had just witnessed men&#39;s champion Novak Djokovic being routed by Dominic Thiem, Halep looked to be going out of the tournament in sympathy with the Serb.

While there was no obvious sign of the ankle problem the 25-year-old sustained in Rome, she could not get going and slumped 5-0 down before clawing three games back to make the set respectable at least.

But Svitolina, bidding to become Ukraine&#39;s first female grand slam semi-finalist after a stellar year in which she has won four titles, charged into a 5-1 lead in the second set.

Again Halep showed her mettle to stay alive but it still seemed in vain until she levelled at 5-5 and then went 40-0 up on Svitolina&#39;s serve before the Ukrainian rallied to take the set into a tiebreak.

Once Halep saved the match point, though, the momentum switched completely her way and she polished off the deciding set in 20 minutes.

In one for the ages, Halep staged a remarkable fightback and saved a match point to reach the semi-finals

Former French Open runner-up Simona Halep staged a remarkable fightback and saved a match point to reach the semi-finals with a 3-6 7-6(6) 6-0 win over Elina Svitolina on Wednesday. Romanian third seed Halep trailed by a set and 5-1 against the hard-hitting fifth seed but somehow dug herself out of a hole before storming to victory to set up a semi-final against Czech second seed Karolina Pliskova. Ukrainian Svitolina saved four set points at 5-6 in the second and then had a match point in the tiebreak which Halep saved with a brave backhand winner that kissed the sideline. A rejuvenated Halep clinched the second set with a forehand winner and predictably swept through the decider as Svitolina's spirit sagged, sealing victory with an ace. Halep will play second-seeded Czech Karolina Pliskova in the last four, while in the other half of the draw Latvian teenager Jelena Ostapenko will take on Swiss Timea Bacsinszky. Of all the quarter-finalists, none of whom had won a major, Halep looked the more likely champion with her claycourt pedigree and a run to the 2014 final when she was beaten by Russian Maria Sharapova. If she needed any more incentive, she can become world number one by winning the title. Yet when the match started in front of a Suzanne Lenglen court crowd that had just witnessed men's champion Novak Djokovic being routed by Dominic Thiem, Halep looked to be going out of the tournament in sympathy with the Serb. While there was no obvious sign of the ankle problem the 25-year-old sustained in Rome, she could not get going and slumped 5-0 down before clawing three games back to make the set respectable at least. But Svitolina, bidding to become Ukraine's first female grand slam semi-finalist after a stellar year in which she has won four titles, charged into a 5-1 lead in the second set. Again Halep showed her mettle to stay alive but it still seemed in vain until she levelled at 5-5 and then went 40-0 up on Svitolina's serve before the Ukrainian rallied to take the set into a tiebreak. Once Halep saved the match point, though, the momentum switched completely her way and she polished off the deciding set in 20 minutes.

French Open: Halep roars back against Svitolina to reach semi-finals

Angelique Kerber was presented with the end-of-year trophy as the world&rsquo;s number one player after all but booking her place in the knockout stage of the WTA Finals with a clinical 6-4 6-2 win over Romania&rsquo;s Simona Halep on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old was already assured of finishing 2016 at the top of the rankings after Serena Williams withdrew from the WTA Finals with a shoulder injury but it was officially recognised when she was handed the trophy and a sparkling diamond ring.

Kerber, looking sharper and more focused than she was in her opening round-robin victory over Slovakia&rsquo;s Dominika Cibulkova, was all smiles after she posted a surprisingly lop-sided victory over the combative Halep, who had looked in ominous touch during her opening match win over American Madison Keys.

&ldquo;I was feeling very well today. I think that I was moving good and I was going for it when I had the chance. I think that was the key,&rdquo; Kerber said.

&ldquo;For me, I think it&#39;s always good when I start a tournament with tight and close matches where I get my confidence.&rdquo;

A finalist at the end-of-season championship two years ago, Halep was brimming with confidence ahead of her clash with Kerber but found the lefthander too good on Singapore&rsquo;s slow indoor hardcourts.

Kerber, electing to receive first, broke Halep&rsquo;s opening service game and despite later dropping her serve and falling 4-3 behind, the German reeled off the last three games in a row to take the opening set after just 43 minutes.

Kerber was even more dominant in the second set as Halep, one of the best returners in the game, struggled to impose her own game on the in-form German, who reached the top of the world rankings when she won the US Open last month.

Two service breaks gave Kerber the advantage she needed and although Halep saved the first two break points she faced with two spectacular winners, it was too little late as Kerber wrapped up the win.

&ldquo;I had the opportunity to get that first set. I was coming back very well. But, maybe I didn&#39;t finish the important points,&rdquo; Halep said.

&ldquo;But she played a great tennis. She&#39;s very strong and on her legs she&#39;s moving great. She deserved to win.&rdquo;

Despite winning her first two matches, Kerber still has a mathematical chance of missing out on the semi-finals of the elite $7 million tournament after Keys beat Cibulkova 6-1 6-4 in Tuesday&rsquo;s other Red Group match.

Kerber plays Keys in their final group match on Thursday while Halep faces Cibulkova.

(AFP)

Kerber plays Keys in their final group match on Thursday while Halep faces Cibulkova

Angelique Kerber was presented with the end-of-year trophy as the world’s number one player after all but booking her place in the knockout stage of the WTA Finals with a clinical 6-4 6-2 win over Romania’s Simona Halep on Tuesday. The 28-year-old was already assured of finishing 2016 at the top of the rankings after Serena Williams withdrew from the WTA Finals with a shoulder injury but it was officially recognised when she was handed the trophy and a sparkling diamond ring. Kerber, looking sharper and more focused than she was in her opening round-robin victory over Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova, was all smiles after she posted a surprisingly lop-sided victory over the combative Halep, who had looked in ominous touch during her opening match win over American Madison Keys. “I was feeling very well today. I think that I was moving good and I was going for it when I had the chance. I think that was the key,” Kerber said. “For me, I think it's always good when I start a tournament with tight and close matches where I get my confidence.” A finalist at the end-of-season championship two years ago, Halep was brimming with confidence ahead of her clash with Kerber but found the lefthander too good on Singapore’s slow indoor hardcourts. Kerber, electing to receive first, broke Halep’s opening service game and despite later dropping her serve and falling 4-3 behind, the German reeled off the last three games in a row to take the opening set after just 43 minutes. Kerber was even more dominant in the second set as Halep, one of the best returners in the game, struggled to impose her own game on the in-form German, who reached the top of the world rankings when she won the US Open last month. Two service breaks gave Kerber the advantage she needed and although Halep saved the first two break points she faced with two spectacular winners, it was too little late as Kerber wrapped up the win. “I had the opportunity to get that first set. I was coming back very well. But, maybe I didn't finish the important points,” Halep said. “But she played a great tennis. She's very strong and on her legs she's moving great. She deserved to win.” Despite winning her first two matches, Kerber still has a mathematical chance of missing out on the semi-finals of the elite $7 million tournament after Keys beat Cibulkova 6-1 6-4 in Tuesday’s other Red Group match. Kerber plays Keys in their final group match on Thursday while Halep faces Cibulkova. (AFP)

WTA finals: Kerber crushes Halep, Keys downs Cibulkova

World number five Simona Halep booked her spot in the season-ending WTA final after she reached the semi-finals of the Wuhan Open by beating big-hitting Madison Keys on Thursday.

The Romanian beat Keys 6-4 6-2 to book her spot in the season finale in Singapore, which will see the top eight players in the world slug it out to win what is popularly called the &quot;fifth grand slam&quot;.

&quot;It&#39;s amazing to be qualified again for Singapore three years in a row. It&#39;s a good thing. It gives me confidence,&quot; Halep told reporters after the quarter-final match.

&quot;I don&#39;t (have) big shots, but I have speed on the court... I like to take the ball fast. So when I do that, I think I can play at the highest level,&quot; she added.

So far, only world number one Angelique Kerber and Serena Williams have qualified for the highly lucrative tournament. The field remains wide open for the remaining five spots.

Halep, now has her sight set on the prize with Serena Williams having taken only one Grand Slam title this year.&nbsp;

&quot;Every Grand Slam was another winner, Kerber two times this year. I feel now (it) is more open. I feel that I have (a) bigger chance,&quot; said the Romanian, who ended last season as world number two but is yet to win a Slam.

Halep will meet two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the semi-finals after she ended a strong run by Briton Johanna Konta in straight sets.

(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Halep said she feels she has a shot at the top spot with world number one Serena Williams having a difficult season

World number five Simona Halep booked her spot in the season-ending WTA final after she reached the semi-finals of the Wuhan Open by beating big-hitting Madison Keys on Thursday. The Romanian beat Keys 6-4 6-2 to book her spot in the season finale in Singapore, which will see the top eight players in the world slug it out to win what is popularly called the "fifth grand slam". "It's amazing to be qualified again for Singapore three years in a row. It's a good thing. It gives me confidence," Halep told reporters after the quarter-final match. "I don't (have) big shots, but I have speed on the court... I like to take the ball fast. So when I do that, I think I can play at the highest level," she added. So far, only world number one Angelique Kerber and Serena Williams have qualified for the highly lucrative tournament. The field remains wide open for the remaining five spots. Halep, now has her sight set on the prize with Serena Williams having taken only one Grand Slam title this year. "Every Grand Slam was another winner, Kerber two times this year. I feel now (it) is more open. I feel that I have (a) bigger chance," said the Romanian, who ended last season as world number two but is yet to win a Slam. Halep will meet two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the semi-finals after she ended a strong run by Briton Johanna Konta in straight sets. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Tennis: World number five Halep books place in WTA Finals

Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonicm and women&#39;s world number five Simona Halep of Romania, have pulled out from next month&#39;s Rio Olympics due to fears over the Zika virus. 
 
They, along with twice Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, who is pregnant, will not be making the trip to Rio even though they were included in the final list of participants issued by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) on Friday. 
 
The big-serving Raonic, who lost to Andy Murray in the men&#39;s championship match at the All England Club on Sunday, was the first tennis player to pull out of the Aug 5-21 Olympics due to concerns over the mosquito-borne Zika virus. 
 
&quot;It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing my withdrawal from participation in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games,&quot; world number seven Raonic, 25, said in a statement issued by Tennis Canada. 
 
&quot;After much deliberation with my family and coaches, I am making this decision for a variety of health concerns including the uncertainty around the Zika virus.&quot; 
 
The Zika virus, which the World Health Organisation says is spreading rapidly in the Americas, has been linked to severe birth defects in infants born to infected women, and possible neurological problems in adults. 
 
Halep, who last month told Reuters she was &quot;very worried&quot; about the long-term effects of the Zika virus, consulted with many doctors before issuing her decision shortly after Raonic. 
 
&quot;I regret to announce that I have decided I will not compete in the Olympic Games. The reason for my decision is the concern regarding the danger posed by the Zika virus,&quot; Halep, a runner-up at the French Open in 2014, said on her Facebook page. 
 
&quot;After several talks with doctors and my family, I concluded that the risks are too high for my career and for my health, especially as a woman. Family is much too important for me and I can&rsquo;t risk not being able to have one of my own after my career in tennis is over.&nbsp;I know the Olympics are a very important event and I truly regret these circumstances. I hope the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee and all Romanians will respect my decision.&nbsp;I will continue to play, to proudly represent Romania in as many tournaments as possible.&quot; 
 
Raonic and Halep joined a growing list of athletes to have pulled out of the Rio Games over health concerns triggered by the outbreak of the Zika virus in Brazil, including a number of high-profile male golfers. 
 
Belarussian Azarenka also robbed the Olympics of some star power as the world number six said earlier on Friday that she will miss the rest of the season because she is having a baby. 
 
Raonic, beaten in the second round of the 2012 London Games by Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, said he hopes his decision would not influence others. 
 
&quot;This was a difficult, personal choice and I do not wish for it to impact the decision of any other athlete heading to the Games,&quot; said Raonic. 
 
&quot;I am very proud to have competed for Canada at the London 2012 Summer Olympics, and on the world stage at several Davis Cup events. I look forward to cheering on Team Canada this summer.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Milos Raonic and Simona Halep joined a growing list of athletes to pull out of Rio Games due to health concerns

Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonicm and women's world number five Simona Halep of Romania, have pulled out from next month's Rio Olympics due to fears over the Zika virus. They, along with twice Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, who is pregnant, will not be making the trip to Rio even though they were included in the final list of participants issued by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) on Friday. The big-serving Raonic, who lost to Andy Murray in the men's championship match at the All England Club on Sunday, was the first tennis player to pull out of the Aug 5-21 Olympics due to concerns over the mosquito-borne Zika virus. "It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing my withdrawal from participation in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games," world number seven Raonic, 25, said in a statement issued by Tennis Canada. "After much deliberation with my family and coaches, I am making this decision for a variety of health concerns including the uncertainty around the Zika virus." The Zika virus, which the World Health Organisation says is spreading rapidly in the Americas, has been linked to severe birth defects in infants born to infected women, and possible neurological problems in adults. Halep, who last month told Reuters she was "very worried" about the long-term effects of the Zika virus, consulted with many doctors before issuing her decision shortly after Raonic. "I regret to announce that I have decided I will not compete in the Olympic Games. The reason for my decision is the concern regarding the danger posed by the Zika virus," Halep, a runner-up at the French Open in 2014, said on her Facebook page. "After several talks with doctors and my family, I concluded that the risks are too high for my career and for my health, especially as a woman. Family is much too important for me and I can’t risk not being able to have one of my own after my career in tennis is over. I know the Olympics are a very important event and I truly regret these circumstances. I hope the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee and all Romanians will respect my decision. I will continue to play, to proudly represent Romania in as many tournaments as possible." Raonic and Halep joined a growing list of athletes to have pulled out of the Rio Games over health concerns triggered by the outbreak of the Zika virus in Brazil, including a number of high-profile male golfers. Belarussian Azarenka also robbed the Olympics of some star power as the world number six said earlier on Friday that she will miss the rest of the season because she is having a baby. Raonic, beaten in the second round of the 2012 London Games by Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, said he hopes his decision would not influence others. "This was a difficult, personal choice and I do not wish for it to impact the decision of any other athlete heading to the Games," said Raonic. "I am very proud to have competed for Canada at the London 2012 Summer Olympics, and on the world stage at several Davis Cup events. I look forward to cheering on Team Canada this summer." (Reuters)

Raonic and Halep withdraw from Rio Olympics over Zika

Germany&#39;s Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber reached her second Wimbledon semi-final today and edged closer to the world number one spot. 
 
The fourth-seeded left-hander emerged victorious over Simona Halep, the fifth seed from Romania, 7-5, 7-6 (7/2) on Centre Court and will face either Venus Williams or Yaroslava Shvedova for a place in Saturday`s final. 
 
Kerber is now in sight of becoming the new world number one, although she needs to win the title while seeing Serena Williams fail to make the semi-finals. 
 
&quot;I think we are both really good returners. It`s always tough to play against Simona. I won the last point and that`s what counts,&quot; said the winner. 
 
Kerber now has 33 match wins in 2016, joint-best with fellow quarter-finalist Dominika Cibulkova. 
 
&quot;I have had a great year so far. I think I am playing my best tennis. Hopefully I can play a few more matches here.&quot; 
 
The 28-year-old Kerber, who also made the semi-finals in 2012, came out on top in a big-hitting battle with Halep, who was a semi-finalist in 2014. 
 
The first set alone saw nine breaks of serve in 12 games with Kerber squandering leads of 3-1 and 5-3 before her Romanian opponent double-faulted on set point. 
 
Kerber was 4-2 and 5-3 in front in the second before the tenacious Halep fought back to reach the tiebreak in a set which featured four more breaks. 
 
But Kerber dominated the tiebreak, going to match point when Halep was bamboozled by a net cord and then taking victory off a backhand error. 
 
(AFP)

This will be Angelique Kerber?s second Wimbledon semi-final where she will face either Venus Williams or Yaroslava Shvedova

Germany's Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber reached her second Wimbledon semi-final today and edged closer to the world number one spot. The fourth-seeded left-hander emerged victorious over Simona Halep, the fifth seed from Romania, 7-5, 7-6 (7/2) on Centre Court and will face either Venus Williams or Yaroslava Shvedova for a place in Saturday`s final. Kerber is now in sight of becoming the new world number one, although she needs to win the title while seeing Serena Williams fail to make the semi-finals. "I think we are both really good returners. It`s always tough to play against Simona. I won the last point and that`s what counts," said the winner. Kerber now has 33 match wins in 2016, joint-best with fellow quarter-finalist Dominika Cibulkova. "I have had a great year so far. I think I am playing my best tennis. Hopefully I can play a few more matches here." The 28-year-old Kerber, who also made the semi-finals in 2012, came out on top in a big-hitting battle with Halep, who was a semi-finalist in 2014. The first set alone saw nine breaks of serve in 12 games with Kerber squandering leads of 3-1 and 5-3 before her Romanian opponent double-faulted on set point. Kerber was 4-2 and 5-3 in front in the second before the tenacious Halep fought back to reach the tiebreak in a set which featured four more breaks. But Kerber dominated the tiebreak, going to match point when Halep was bamboozled by a net cord and then taking victory off a backhand error. (AFP)

Kerber beats Halep, through Wimbeldon semi-final

simona-halep

Simona Halep, News on Simona Halep, stories on Simona Halep, articles on Simona Halep, Simona Halep stories at Wion, Simona Halep news, Simona Halep latest news

simona halep