Wozniacki, Halep both hoping 3rd time the charm

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA » For both Caroline Wozniacki and Simona Halep, the Australian Open women’s final on Saturday is a chance to put the demons of past Grand Slam nearmisses behind them.

One will finally walk away a champion. The other will have to shake off another loss in a major final and be left to wonder when, or if, another chance will come again.

They’ve had similar careers to this point: they are steady, consistent performers week-to-week who have climbed all the way to No. 1 based on the quantity — if not necessarily the quality — of their results.

At the Grand Slams, both are all too familiar with the role of runner-up — Wozniacki losing twice at the U.S. Open, Halep twice at Roland Garros.

And in a twist of fate, both enter the Austra- lian Open final playing with what Wozniacki calls “house money” — they’ve each saved match points earlier in the tournament and feel they’re making the most of their second chances.

In Halep’s case, it’s actually a third chance. She saved match points against not one, but two opponents at Melbourne Park — Lauren Davis in the third round, and two-time major winner Angelique Kerber in the semifinal.

“I was not afraid of losing,” the top-seeded Halep said after surviving a thrilling, three- setter against Kerber. “I won those balls, and then I got the confidence back that I’m still alive and I can do it.”

Of the two, Wozniacki has had the longer wait for this moment. If she prevails on Saturday, it’ll be in her 43rd major tournament — the fourth-most appearances among women at the most elite level before winning a first Grand Slam title.

The 27-year- old Dane is also nine years removed from her first major final at the 2009 U.S. Open (a loss to Kim Clijsters). She then had a five-year wait for a second shot in New York, falling to Serena Williams in the 2014 final.

And now another 3 ½ long years for another opportunity.

“I always believed in myself,” Wozniacki said. “I was just giving myself time. I think if you don’t feel like you can go all the way in tournaments, then to me there’s no sense in playing. So for me it’s always I want to be competitive, I want to be the best, and that’s why I’m still playing.”

The 26- year- old Halep hasn’t had such long stretches between title chances — her losses came in the 2014 and 2017 French Opens to Maria Sharapova and Jelena Ostapenko, respectively — but she’s certainly endured the more heart-breaking defeats.

Halep was leading by a set and a break against Jelena Ostapenko at last year’s French Open before faltering down the stretch. And against Sharapova in 2014, Halep came in as the favorite but was broken at 4-all in the third set before losing a draining, threehour final.

But Halep believes she’s turned a corner in the past year and is better able to handle pressure moments on the court. Her comeback from multiple match points down in Melbourne is a testament to a new mindset.

“I was in this position in the French Open, so maybe I can make a better match,” she said. “I feel more experienced. Also stronger mentally. And the way I play, it’s different. I feel I’m more aggressive.”

The bonus in Saturday night’s final is that winner also takes home the No. 1 ranking. It would be a sixyear gap for Wozniacki if she achieves it. But both made clear this isn’t their goal.