Finals day in Doha.
Qatar Total Open - a WTA Premier category tournament, on Hard Plexicushion, in Doha, Qatar, 11-16 February 2019.
Simona Halep (1) v Elise Mertens
Mertens served first, and after trading backhand winners, delivered a beautiful drop shot. A forehand down the line saved a break point, but a Halep forehand and Mertens error produced a second break chance. Also saved, as was the third. However a forehand winner secured Halep the break with her fourth opportunity.
Mertens broke back immediately, converting the first of two chances. 1-1.
A slashing forehand winner from Halep brought up three break points and another forehand clinched a love game and the third straight game against serve. Halep led 2-1.
A strong consolidation for 3-1, and Mertens then held with relative ease 2-3.
A double fault on break point cost Halep and it was 3-3. After that the top seed put the foot down, beginning with a delightful backhand down the line, breaking Mertens to love, and taking the final two games as well.
6-3 and Halep motoring nicely.
A love game on serve to begin set two and Halep had won 16 straight points. 1-0. Winners from both sides and Halep extended the run to 18 points in succession - Mertens in trouble 0-30. Although the Halep streak stopped at 18, Mertens eventually faced two break points, saved one, but not the other and the top seed had taken a grip on the match leading by a set and 2-0.
Mertens responded well, forcing errors with attacking forehands and hitting a couple of winners from that side. Halep saved one break point but Mertens capitalised on the second and trailed 1-2 on serve.
A trainer was called for the Belgian who then left the court for treatment on her lower back.
Upon resumption, two winning Halep forehands carried her to deuce, and a magic backhand gave her break point. Saved, and serve held. 2-2.
At 2-3, Mertens again faced two break points after immaculate tennis from Halep. One saved with a Mertens backhand down the line. The second saved with a strong first serve, and the serve ultimately held with an ace. 3-3.
Serves were held and the scores 4-4, Halep saving a break point in the process.
Mertens forced Halep into trouble and 0-30. A double fault and three break points. A Romanian forehand hit the net, and Mertens broke - she would serve for the set.
A double fault and 30-30. Then a backhand volley combo produced set point. A backhand winner from Mertens levelled the match 3-6 6-4.
Halep called the trainer for treatment on her feet.
The top seed had a game point in the opening to set three, but that was squashed with a punishing return from Mertens, and errors from Halep cost her the serve. Mertens took nine minutes and saved three break points but consolidated to lead 2-0.
Halep, as expected, broke back for 2-2, and had a point in game five to lead, but a wonderful Mertens return dismissed that. The Belgian went further, breaking the Romanian serve and moving ahead 3-2.
Three more games went with the server, and Halep found herself at the line, 3-5 down.
Elise Mertens saved herself the trouble of serving again by breaking Halep and capturing the biggest title of her career 3-6 6-4 6-3.
Mertens moves back into the top twenty at #16 while Halep takes a step up one spot to #2 in the world.
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