Defending champion:
Qualifier Jil Teichmann (8) who defeated wildcard Karolina Muchova 7-6(5) 3-6 6-4
The final
- Simona Halep (1) (România) v Elise Mertens (3) (Belgium)
In their fifth meeting, Mertens opened well, holding serve, then converting the first break point of the match to lead 2-0 in the first set. Having given that slight head start, Halep then proceeded to win the next seven games, capturing the set 6-2 in the process.
It wasn’t without drama, though. The top seed broke to love in game three and to fifteen in game five, but was taken to deuce in the fourth, and was down 0-40 when serving for a 4-2 lead. Halep saved the three break points and another one as well, to clinch that game.
It took the sixth opportunity presented to break in the seventh game, and even when serving for the set, Halep saw Mertens save two set points and take it to deuce before the job was done.
Set two was a tighter affair. Mertens squared the ledger, breaking for 1-1, but again struck trouble in the fifth game where Halep used her second of two chances to crack the Belgian serve.
At 3-4, Mertens levelled things once more, breaking back for the second time in the set. Saving a break point in game nine, Mertens took the lead 5-4, but Halep steadied, grabbing the final three games and the title 6-2 7-5.
This was title number two for 2020, #21 in a stellar career, and just the warm up Simona Halep would want for Rome and Roland Garros in the coming period.
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