PARIS (AP) — Bumalikwas mula sa huling set point si Simona Halep para makausad sa semifinal ng women’s main draw nitong Miyerkules (Huwebes sa Manila).
“I said that the match is lost. ... That’s it. It’s over. And then I started to feel more relaxed, maybe because I thought it’s finished,” pahayag ni Halep matapos makuha ang 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-0 panalo kontra No.5 Elina Svitolina.
Tila namatanda ang 2014 runner-up, naghabol sa 5-1 sa second set, at 6-5 sa tiebreaker, nang hindi namalayan ang kahanga-hangang tira sa backhand kesya sa anumang gawain.
“I was like, ‘(It) was match point for her?’” sambit ni Halep. “I didn’t realize during the match.”
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Makakaharap niya sa Huwebes (Biyernes sa Manila) si No. 2 Karolina Pliskova ng Czech Republic, nagwagi kontra Carolina Garcia ng France, 7-6 (3), 6-4.
Sakaling makausad sa Finals si Pliskova, makukuha niya ang pagiging world No.1 para palitan si Angelique Kerber, nasibak sa first-round. Sa pagkakataon na magwagi si Halep kailangan fan niyang magkampeon para maging No.1
“No, not really, because coming into this tournament, there were a few people who told me, ‘You have to be in the final to be No. 1.’
“I was like, ‘There is no chance I make final here. And now it’s close, but it’s close and it’s far, as well, because I’m playing against somebody who I would (call) one of the best girls on clay. It’s not like you’re going to get it for free, you know,” aniya.
