Halep defeats Siniakova in 3 sets to win Shenzhen Open

Top-ranked Simona Halep beat defending champion Katerina Siniakova 6-1, 2-6, 6-0 in the final of the Shenzhen Open on Saturday.

Halep coasted through the first set, breaking Siniakova twice in a dominant start in which she lost just seven points on serve.

Siniakova found her rhythm in the second set, breaking in the fourth game to move 3-1 ahead.

Despite being broken back in the next game, the sixth-seeded Czech maintained her focus to take Halep’s serve twice more and level the match at a set apiece.

Halep broke her opponent three times in the final set to seal the win.

The final was moved indoors after repeated rain delays and began six hours after its scheduled start time.

Both players were bidding to join Li Na as two-time champions at the event.

Halep won here in 2015 and Siniakova claimed the title a year ago.

Simon beats Anderson to win Maharashtra Open

Gilles Simon won his first major ATP Tour title since 2015 when the Frenchman defeated second-seeded Kevin Anderson 7-6 (4), 6-2 in the final of the Maharashtra Open on Saturday.

The World No. 89 Simon was in supreme form in the opening week of the new year as he also defeated defending champion Roberto Bautisa Agut in the second round and stunned topseeded Marin Cilic in the semifinals.

It was also Simon’s first win against Anderson, having lost the previous three matches on hard courts.

Simon earned 250 ATP ranking points and bagged $89,435 while Anderson left Pune with 150 points and a purse of $47,105.