Long-suffering stars chasing first Slam
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA For the second time in the tournament, Simona Halep faced match points and knew one mistake would mean an exit from the Australian Open and the likely loss of her No. 1 ranking.
For the second time at this Open, she attacked rather than take the safe approach.
The 26-year-old Romanian saved two match points and needed four of her own against 2016 champion Angelique Kerber before winning 6-3, 4-6, 9-7 in the semifinals.
Halep will face No. 2 Caroline Wozniacki in Saturday’s final. Neither has won a Grand Slam title before. The winner will also be No. 1 when the next rankings are released. Wozniacki, who beat Elise Mertens 6-3, 7-6 (2) in the first semifinal, hasn’t held the top ranking in six years.
Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and Croatia’s Mate Pavic reached the mixed doubles semifinals with a 6-3, 7-6 (0) win over Sweden’s Johanna Larsson and Matwe Middelkoop of the Netherlands.
For Halep, playing in her first Grand Slam as the top-seeded player, it’s a first major final beyond the clay courts of Roland Garros. She lost French Open finals to Jelena Ostapenko last year and to Maria Sharapova in 2014.
For Wozniacki, it’s her first Grand Slam final outside of America.
Marin Cilic is also enjoying his run, following up his quarter-final upset against top-ranked Rafael Nadal with a 6-2, 7-6 (4), 6-2 win over No. 49 Kyle Edmund. After reaching the Australian final in his 10th attempt, the 2014 U.S. Open champion will face the winner of Friday’s semifinal match between defending champion Roger Federer and Hyeon Chung.
Halep said she has a new resolve after back-to-back first-round exits previously at Melbourne Park.
“I’m really proud of myself, actually,” she said.
Halep has been ranked No. 1 before, so winning a major has become more important.
“It’s also my dream to win a Grand Slam title,” Halep said.