While her rivals at the top of the rankings were limbering up for the summer hardcourt season, Halep was beginning her US Open preparations with a well-earned holiday in Turkey.
This inactivity certainly did not dull her competitive instincts.
On Thursday, she produced two tough sets of tennis to see off Lucie Safarova and earn the chance for revenge over her French Open conqueror, Sharapova. Just as she had during their epic final in Paris, Sharapova was forced to draw on all her reserves of fighting spirit to make it across the finishing line, coming from a set and a break down to triumph, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, after over two and a half hours on court. With neither player locating their A-game in the opening set, it was Halep's ability to get one more ball back in court that proved the difference, teasing enough errors from the Russian's racquet to keep her nose in front. Sensing her moment, she jumped into a 2-0 lead in the second. Sharapova's powers of recovery are legendary, and with her back to the wall she came out swinging, bludgeoning three straight winners in the next game to break back. Having finally found her range, she slowly started to get the better of Halep in the rallies, breaking decisively in the seventh game before overcoming a late wobble to level the match up on her fourth set point. The final set produced the best tennis of the contest, but as the finale approached, it was Halep that blinked. A loose game at 4-4 handed Sharapova the opportunity to serve out the match, completing victory when Halep fired a backhand fractionally beyond the baseline.
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario