Halep, Wozniacki seek 1st Slam title
Both players have lost twice in finals; world No. 1 ranking at stake, too
MELBOURNE, Australia – Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki will be hoping to be third-time lucky when they face off with the chance to win their first career Grand Slam tournament titles in the Australian Open.
Neither No. 1 Halep nor No. 2 Wozniacki are newcomers to competing in Grand Slam finals. They’ve experienced two failed opportunities to join the exclusive ranks of Grand Slam champions in the past: Halep in the French Open in
2014 and 2017, Wozniacki in the U.S. Open in 2009 and 2014.
“It’s my dream, to win a Grand Slam title,” said Halep, admitting it’s “bigger” than being No. 1. “It’s always tough when you are close. I had this opportunity two times. Maybe Saturday I will be better.”
To add further intrigue to the final battle, the world No. 1 ranking is also at stake. Halep holds the top spot, but Wozniacki would like to return to the position, a distinction she held for 67 weeks bridging 2010-11.
Second-ranked Wozniacki, who played first on Thursday, had an easier journey to the final, ending Elise Mertens’ Australian Open debut 6-3, 7-6
(7-2) in the semifinals.
“I’m just excited,” Wozniacki said. “It’s another finals. It’s another great two weeks. Regardless of what happens now, I’ve done my best. When you go out there on Saturday, you have everything to win.”
Halep had more of a roller-coaster ride, having to save two match points and needing four match points to outlast 21st-seeded Angelique Kerber 6-3,
4-6, 9-7 to reach the final. Despite the wobbles, it was a masterful performance for Halep, who posted
50 winners in what she was confident was a first in her career. Halep also stacked up 50 unforced errors, but it all adds up to proof she was willing to be the risk-taker.
“The confidence is very high,” said Halep, who told fans on the court she was shaking after beating Kerber. “The fact that I’m really tired is normal because I played so many matches. But, you know, I’m happy. In this moment doesn’t matter anything, just the fact that I won this match and I can play the final again.”
Whichever player wins the title will be the first woman from their country — Romania for Halep, Denmark for Wozniacki — to win the Australian Open.
The last time two women who were not yet Grand Slam champions met for the Australian Open trophy was in 1980 when Hana Mandlikova of Czechoslovakia defeated Australia native Wendy Turnbull.
Another distinction Halep and Wozniacki share is they were nearly shown to the exit in earlier matches during the tournament.
Halep, who turned over her ankle in the first round, saved triple match points to persevere against American Lauren Davis in a 4-6, 6-4, 15-13 thirdround victory. The 3-hour, 43-minute encounter is the third-longest women’s singles match in Australian Open history.
Wozniacki was behind 1-5 and faced two match points in the third set of her second-round match before turning back 119th-ranked Jana Fett of Croatia by winning six consecutive games for a 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 win.
“Obviously, Halep, just like me, was down match points early on in the tournament, has come back and fought her way,” Wozniacki said. “I think it’s exciting because we’re both playing for the No. 1 ranking. Whoever wins on Saturday will be on the top of the rankings, which I think is a cool story line.”
In their head-to-head, Wozniacki leads Halep 4-2 and won the last three encounters, including last year’s meeting in Eastbourne, England, and in the round-robin portion of the year-end WTA Finals in Singapore.
“It’s going to be a different match, new match, a tough one,” Halep said. “Emotions are there. Pressures are there for both of us.”