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Australian Open: Simona Halep breezes into semi-finals

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In ominous signs for Australian world number one Ash Barty, Simona Halep is a woman on a mission, and heads into the women’s semi-finals as the only player yet to drop a set.

The two-time Romanian grand slam champion looked simply irrepressible in a business-like 6-1 6-1 rout of Estonian 28th seed Anett Kontaveit that was shorter than most corporate meetings.

Kontaveit’s power-driven game was completely neutralised by Halep’s combination of speedy footwork, consistent ball-striking and aggressive counterpunching in 53 minutes of sheer brutality.

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Romania’s Simona Halep has reached her second Australian Open semi-final in three years. Photo: Getty

The first-time grand slam quarter-finalist in Kontaveit started the match on a high, securing the opening game with a perfect four from four on first serves.

From there, Halep reeled off eleven straight games, before sealing the match with two unreturnable serves.

“I felt great today on court, I feel my game, strong in my legs and I knew how to play against her,” Halep said, who now enjoys a perfect 3-0 head-to-head record against Kontaveit.

The reigning Wimbledon champion found plenty of positives, and was bolstered by a renewed emphasis on fitness during the off-season, after reviving her partnership with Australian coach Darren Cahill.

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The fourth seed dictated play from the very beginning, and never let go en route to her quarter-final victory. Photo: Getty

“I worked a little bit more in the offseason, first time in my life away from home so I could be focussed on what I had to do every day with no days off. I’m feeling much stronger than before,” Halep said.

“We work hard on my attitude and game and I’m now a better person and a better player because of [Darren].”

Halep’s adept all-court play gained the upper hand in Kontaveit’s second service game, combining scrambling defence with aggressive pushes into the court to claim the opening break.

The fourth seed, one of the women’s game’s premier point constructors, began to run Kontaveit ragged as rallies grew longer and more physical — scuppering the Estonian’s preference for quick-fire exchanges.

Kontaveit found her one and only break point chance at 4-1 down, but a searing Halep forehand down-the-line foiled any hopes of a first set comeback.

The former world number one’s unrelenting ways continued into the second set, as Kontaveit grew hapless attempting net approaches, angles — anything — to try and stop the rot.

But luck was firmly on Halep’s side as she raced to a double-break lead, with the bruising blow coming in a 25-shot rally that ended on a dead ball netcord winner.

Back in the semi-finals for the first time since her marathon three-set loss to Caroline Wozniacki in the 2018 decider, Halep can reprise her role on the second Saturday with victory over either Garbine Muguruza or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

The post Australian Open: Simona Halep breezes into semi-finals appeared first on The New Daily.


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