(Toronto) Simona Halep (15e world), twice winner of the National Bank Open, qualified Saturday for the final of the WTA 1000 in Toronto, overthrowing 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 the American Jessica Pegula (7e).
Posted at 3:39 p.m.
The 30-year-old Romanian, who won in 2016 and 2018, editions then played in Montreal, after being a first time finalist in Toronto in 2015, will be opposed to the Czech Karolina Pliskova (14e) or the Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia (24e), for what will be his 18e final of a WTA 1000, on the way to a 9e eventual coronation.
The former world No. 1 (in 2017), who was playing her 29e semi-final of a WTA 1000, ended up making his experience speak, after resisting the very attacking start to the match from Pegula, semi-finalist of the event last year in Montreal and who hoped well win a second title in 2022 after the Washington tournament in 2019.
Annoyed at the start of the match by her unforced errors, in particular her 3e and 4e double faults which each time offered a break to his opponent, Halep, semi-finalist of the last Wimbledon, recovered after the loss of the first set.
The one who had not lost a round of the tournament was able to make the exchanges last and Pegula to make a few mistakes. Managed to escape 4-1, the Romanian had to erase four break points to then remove the set.
In the more consistent third set, Halep continued her momentum to escape 5-2, but with courage Pegula unbroken, then saved two match points on her serve. Finally it was on his third opportunity that Halep finished the job after 2:14.
The other semi-final will pit Karolina Pliskova against Beatriz Haddad Maia.
The 26-year-old Brazilian, who took the scalp of world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in 8eis experiencing a late emergence on the circuit, having won three tournaments this year, in Saint-Malo, Birmingham and Nottingham.
The 30-year-old Czech, finalist of the Canadian Open last year in Montreal, is she looking for a 17e title on the circuit.