The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Winding road for Melbourne rivals
It is appropriate that neither Caroline Wozniacki nor Simona Halep’s path to today’s women’s final has been smooth, for their journey to a potential first grand slam title has been anything but.
This is the first time in the Open era that both finalists have saved match points during the tournament, while Halep is the first woman to have done so in multiple matches and reached the trophy decider.
The world No 1 has had the look of a woman who will not settle for anything less than silverware ever since arriving in Melbourne. She twisted her ankle in the first round, then saved three match points against Lauren Davis in the third round, winning the deciding set 15-13, before surviving two more match points in an extraordinary final set against Angelique Kerber in the semi-finals.
Wozniacki trailed Jana Fett 1-5 and 15-40 in her second-round match before winning six games in a row.
Halep and Wozniacki share the dubious distinction of having held the No 1 ranking without winning a grand slam title and the winner today will top the standings on Monday.
Their paths, though, have been very different. Wozniacki was a teenage prodigy who faded but has now risen back to the top of the game while Halep emerged as a grand slam challenger four years ago and has been a consistent member of the top 10.