Stephens, Halep in summit clash
PARIS: Simona Halep vowed to erase the misery of her 2017 Roland Garros heartbreak after reaching her third French Open final on Thursday where she will face US Open winner Sloane Stephens for the title.
Halep, the runner-up in 2014 and 2017, enjoyed a 6-1, 6-4 victory over 2016 champion and third seed Garbine Muguruza of Spain.
Stephens, who won her maiden Slam title in New York last year, defeated fellow American and close friend Madison Keys 6-4, 6-4 having previously never got beyond the quarters.
“I am really happy that I won the match, it was very important for my mind and I gave it all I had,” said Romanian star Halep.
After racing through the first set, Halep saved three break points in a marathon ninth game of the second which lasted 13 minutes.
“I think I played one of my best matches on clay against a great opponent,” added Halep, who will be appearing in her fourth final at the majors having also been beaten in Australia in January.
“I was 2-4 down in the second set but I knew I had to fight for every ball, push her back and play the way I did in the first set.”
Halep has now defeated (US-X10) Muguruza in both their meetings on clay and will also retain the world number one ranking next week.
Stephens defeated Keys in straight sets when she won the US Open last September.
On Thursday, it was more of the same as the 25-year-old capitalised on her friend’s big match nerves.
“It’s really hard to play against a great friend, but I am pleased to be in the final for the first time,” said Stephens who will rise to four in the world thanks to her deepest run in the French capital.
“This is one of my favourite tournaments. It’s another opportunity and I am looking forward to it.” In the first all-american women’s semi-final in Paris since 2002, the 10th seeded Stephens broke in the third game of the opening set.
That was sufficient in a set where
13th seeded
Keys committed 23 unforced errors.