World No.1 Simona Halep has yet to win a Grand Slam title. This Saturday, she gets a golden chance to notch her first when she takes on the dangerous Sloane Stephens. Will Halep finally take home that elusive grand slam title? Or will Stephens get her second?
Is this the day Halep has long been waiting for? Halep has had plenty of close crushes with a Grand Slam, including a runner-up finish in last year’s French Open. Now that she’s back in the same stage of the same tournament, Halep is going to go all out anew. The 26-year-old Romanian blasted Garbine Muguruza in the semis, 6-1, 6-4, to reach the finals once again. Prior to that, he sent Angelique Kerber crashing out of the competition with a 6-7 (2-7), 6-3, 6-2 win in the quarters. Halep’s return game has come up big for the world’s No. 1 female player, as she has had 14 breaks converted in the last two matches. Halep has five wins in her career so far against Stephens, two of which occurred on a clay court. She defeated Stephens in the round of 16 of the 2014 French Open, 6-4 6-3.
Stephens is set to play in her second Grand Slam finals in her career or since winning the US Open last year. Stephens booked a spot in the finals in Roland Garros following a dominant win over fellow American Madison Keys in the semis to the tune of a 6-4, 6-4 score. Stephens’ first serve game was on point against Keys, as she put 62 percent of her first serves in and won 77 percent of those points. Just how dominant Stephens has been all tournament long? Let’s just say that she’s headed to the finals with only one dropped set, meaning she’s probably have plenty of gas left in her tank to use in the final game of the tournament for the women’s side. Stephens is also extremely careful of her actions on the court. She only had 11 unforced errors in the semis while Keys had 41. In seven meeting with Halep, Stephens has won twice, though, both are on a hard court.
Writer’s Prediction
Halep wins in three sets and gets her Grand Slam title.
