US Open preparation heats up for No. 2 Halep

WASHINGTON: Second-ranked Simona Halep has the longest current run in the world top 10, reached her second career Grand Slam final in June and defends a title next week in Toronto.

But the 25-year-old Romanian is looking for the big prize that has eluded her, a Grand Slam title, as she begins working to the US Open at this week’s WTA and ATP Citi Open.

Halep is getting an early jump on US Open preparations at the Washington hardcourt event, becoming the highestranked player ever in the field after she said this week’s WTA event in Stanford denied her a wildcard entry.

“I want to be in my best form at the US Open,” Halep said. “This tournament is very important. Every match is tough and important for my level.

“I’m focused on what I have to do on the court and what I need to do to get my game strong.”

Halep reached her first Grand Slam final in 2014 at Roland Garros, falling to Russia’s Maria Sharapova, then made it back to the French Open final this year only to fall again, up a set and 3-0 before squandering the lead and falling to Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko.

She followed with a quarter-final exit at Wimbledon and after a title defense next week in Canada hopes to improve upon her best US Open result, a 2015 semi-final run.

“I’m still confident,” Halep said. “But now it’s a different season. I expect some tough matches. I’m ready. I want some matches.”

Halep’s first match will be Tuesday against another competition-hungry wildcard, American Sloane Stephens, who missed 11 months after left foot surgery before returning at Wimbledon. Stephens won her first WTA title at Washington in 2015.

On the men’s side, five of the top 11 players in the world will take part, including four past champions who won titles in their last Washington appearances -- Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro, Canada’s 10thranked Milos Raonic, Japan’s ninth-ranked Kei Nishikori and defending champion Gael Monfils of France.

“The high level of players make this a very important tournament,” Del Potro said. “It’s going to be a very tough tournament.”