In the second WTA semi final in Cincinnati, top seed Simona Halep faced tournament sensation Aryna Sabalenka. There were three breaks of serve from three opportunities in the first seven games, and Halep led 4-3.
- Winners highlighted a service hold for Halep and errors found Sabalenka at 15-30 when attempting to stay in the set. Two successive double faults donated the game to Halep and she won the opening set 6-3.
Set two at 0-1 and 0-30, Sabalenka hit out with some glorious winners to ultimately hold serve for 1-1. Halep held to love and led 2-1, appearing very comfortable.
Sabalenka again fought back from 0-30, but at 30-30 hit the net twice to drop serve and trail 1-3.
Two winners helped Sabalenka to two break points and these were saved. Another forehand winner brought a third break point which was converted. 3-2 to Halep.
Sabalenka threw in a love game, sealed with two aces, and it was 3-3.
In an intriguing seventh game, Sabalenka began punishing Halep with her forehand, but she nullified her chance of a service break with errant returns and the top seed held for 4-3.
Winning forehands ensured a quick hold for Sabalenka and 4-4.
Halep saved three break points and Sabalenka had the unenviable statistic of converting just two of seven chances for the match. Now she had to hold serve to stay in the match.
Two Belarusian forehand winners followed two errors and it was 30-30 for Sabalenka. An ace and game point. Two Sabalenka shots missing wide gave Halep match point. Saved with an ace. An overhead from Belarus missed and a second match point arrived. This one was enough for Halep to win the match 6-3 6-4.
Simona Halep will play Kiki Bertens in the final.
Aryna Sabalenka had her chances in set two, but it is difficult to convert against the defence of Halep.
ATP Masters 1000:
Seven times champion here, Roger Federer (2) played David Goffin (11) and games were on serve through the first eight games, with Goffin winning all points on his first delivery.
Federer led 40-15, all points decided with errors, and he won the game to lead 5-4 and require the Belgian to hold to stay in the set.
Double fault and 30-30 for Goffin. Another double fault and deuce. A brilliant backhand pass left Federer stranded at the net, and a down the line backhand winner sealed the game - it was 5-5.
Backhand winner and two aces from Federer contributed to a love game and a 6-5 lead. Two Swiss off forehands and Goffin was in strife at 0-30. He recovered to 30-30, but a blistering Federer forehand presented the first break point of the match and it was also a set point.
Saved by a sweet Belgian forehand winner. Double fault and a second set point. Ace saved that one. Wide forehand and third set point. Forehand forced a Swiss error and deuce once more.
Forehand winner and game point. Goffin served his way out of trouble and into a tie break.
First three points won against the serve, giving Federer the advantage 2-1 with two serves to come. 4-1 and looking the goods, especially after a forehand winner. Goffin kept in touch, winning his next two points on serve. An ace took Federer to 6-3 and three set points. Only one needed after Goffin found the net.
Federer leading 7-6(3).
Goffin needed attention to his shoulder before the start of set two. After both players held serve, Goffin saving one break point, the Belgian led 40-30 in game three before succumbing to the shoulder injury and sadly the match was over.
Federer was in the final, winning 7-6(3) 1-1 (retired).
Not the way he would want to win, but the second seed would meet nis nemesis Novak Djokovic in the finale.
Djokovic leads 23-22 in the head to head battle, but Federer has beaten Djokovic the three times they have met in Cincinnati finals, 2015 the most recent.
Since that 2015 loss, Djokovic has beaten Federer three out of the four times they have played - twice in majors, one a final, one a semi final.
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