TORONTO –
Two-time champion Simona Halep has reached the final of the National Bank Open.
The Romanian defeated Jessica Pegula of the USA 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first semi-final of the WTA event on Saturday.
15th seed Halep meets the late semifinal winner between Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia and Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova.
Pegula was the top-rated player remaining in the tournament as the seventh seed.
14th-seeded Pliskova is now the highest-scoring player after a series of upsets in the women’s Canadian professional tennis championship.
Pegula later teamed up with her American compatriot Coco Gauff in the semifinals of the doubles tournament on Saturday against Madison Keys of the USA and Sania Mirza of India.
Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and Mexican partner Giuliana Olmos were scheduled to take on American Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Australia’s Ellen Perez in the other double-half on Saturday night.
Halep trailed 5-1 in the first set but showed signs of life and took a 40-0 lead in the seventh game. But Pegula hit back, including a neatly placed volley when Halep lost his footing trying to get back in the middle. Although Pegula equalized the point at Deuces, Halep had the advantage and won the game.
Pegula was sharp in the next game, getting to set point quickly, holding serve and winning it with an ace.
Halep, 30, left the court just between sets one and two and the break seemed to help her. She quickly took a 2-0 lead in the second set, despite Pegula continuing to challenge her.
With Halep leading 4-2, the seventh game of the set lasted more than eight minutes, with four break points before Pegula scored a long return as the Romanian took a 5-2 lead. A backhand winner from Halep secured the second set.
Halep won the break point in the first game of the deciding third set when Pegula’s forehand was long. However, Pegula broke right back to level the set 1-1.
Both players were visibly frustrated with their own game in the third set with several unforced errors and double faults respectively. Halep ended the match with 10 double faults on Pegula, but the American struggled to place her returns.
Halep fended off four break points as they played to twos in the fourth game of the set. Pegula netted her backhand to equalize 2-2, while the American angrily swung her racquet between her legs as the crowd at Sobeys Stadium shouted “Si-mo-na!”
Romanian flags could be seen in the stands of the tennis-specific venue on York University’s campus as Halep continued to withdraw thanks to Pegula’s mistakes.
Halep charged into the net and smashed a forehand past Pegula to forge a 40-15 advantage in the ninth game of the set. Pegula responded by saving two match points to bring the score to two.
Pegula repeatedly smashed her racquet to the ground after her shot went wide to give Pegula an advantage, but the American netted a shot to bring it back to two.
Halep kept hammering the ball on Pegula’s backhand but the American deflected two match points to stay alive at 5-4.
Halep held serve at match point, forcing Pegula to net her forehand to complete the comeback and advance to the final of the tournament.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on August 13, 2022.