Simona starts way back up rankings

SIMONA Halep’s quest for WTA redemption gathered steam with a convincing win over Veronika Kudermetova in the final of the Melbourne Summer Set on Sunday.

Halep finished 2020 as world No.2 but after a careerworst year by her own admission, found herself clinging desperately to the top 20 ahead of the Australian Open.

Landing on Aussie soil with a point to prove, the Romanian could hardly have asked for a better start to her year or a better preparation for the Australian Open. She dropped just one set en route to the final of the Melbourne Summer Set and, once there, was just as dominant when faced with her most challenging match-up of the tournament.

Kudermetova entered the match with fresh legs, having earned a day off when injured Naomi Osaka withdrew from their semi-final clash.

The Russian couldn’t capitalise on the rest day, though.

Instead, she lacked the polish of her more experienced opponent, committing 18 unforced errors to Halep’s eight.

Halep proved to be capable of weathering Kudermetova’s powerful serve and better at getting behind her own, as she ran away to claim the first set comfortably.

Kudermetova was fired up in the second, apparently as much out of self-frustration as anything else, and the passion paid dividends early.

The Russian opened up a two-game lead but the momentum was short-lived.

Kudermetova took out just one of the last seven games played, as Halep claimed her first title in almost 18 months.

It was Halep’s first singles title win in almost 18 months and will hoist her to 15 on the WTA singles rankings.

Earlier, American Amanda Anisimova claimed the Gippsland Trophy as winner of the Melbourne Summer Set 2.

Anisimova and Belarus’s Aliaksandra Sasnovich played out a three-set thriller at Rod Laver Avena. The American ultimately triumphed to open her account this year.