World No. 1 Simona Halep wins epic Rogers Cup final in Montreal
Sunday’s women’s final at the Rogers Cup in Montreal was an instant classic.
In a rematch of this year’s French Open, World No. 1 Simona Halep and third-ranked Sloane Stephens treated fans to a match with plenty of twists and turns.
The match took two hours and 41 minutes to complete, with Halep prevailing in three sets (7-6, 3-6, 6-4). The win is the second straight for Halep in Montreal, but it wasn’t easy.
Down 4-1 in the first set, Stephens came storming back to force a tiebreaker. Then it was the 25-year-old American’s turn to jump out in front, taking a commanding 5-1 lead.
.@Simona_Halep saves four set points to take the opening set, 7-6(6)!
The World No.1 is a set from another @CoupeRogers title! pic.twitter.com/8WaplIYIGv
— WTA (@WTA) August 12, 2018
But the 26-year-old Romanian was undeterred, saving four set points to gut out the crucial first-set win.
“It’s an amazing performance, I was nearly dead during the first set, but I didn’t give up,” Halep told Sportsnet in the post-match television interview.
After Stephens won the second set, Halep took control in the third, jumping out to a 5-2 lead. But Stephens didn’t quit, saving three match points to cut the lead to 5-4.
“She played amazing, she’s a great fighter, she’s a great player, so it was a big challenge for me,” Halep said.
With the pressure on, Halep clutched up to win the match.
.@Simona_Halep takes her second @CoupeRogers title!
Outlasts Stephens 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-3, in a high-quality epic! pic.twitter.com/EEyBFULd5q
— WTA (@WTA) August 12, 2018