Semi final 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 Wildcard Elina Svitolina (4)
Svitolina served first in set one, and held comfortably. Halep survived a break point to level, and then from 40-15, Svitolina found a way to drop serve, a double fault not helping her. Halep was, by now, controlling the rallies, especially when they were extended to any degree.
3-1 to the top seed after an impressive consolidating service game, one backhand winner the highlight.
Two good first serves put Svitolina up 40-15 again, but this time she held firm for 2-3.
Svitolina opened with a return winner and had Halep down 0-30, but the top seed was good enough to withstand that, and another winner from the fourth seed, to move further ahead 4-2.
Serves held until Svitolina went to the line at 3-5, needing to hold to stay in the set.
From 30-15, Svitolina felt the Halep pressure, first a Romanian forehand winner, then solid defence, resulting in a volley error from the Ukraine racquet.
The set point was saved but then another arrived thanks to a Halep backhand. Saved due to a Svitolina backhand winner. The response to a third set point was a double fault and the opening set was Halep’s 6-3.
Halep had 40-15 but errors brought it to deuce. Not to worry, though, when two winners secured the opening game of set two for the top seed. Easy hold for Svitolina, to love, and 1-1.
Svitolina was aggressive in the third game, and her forcing shots pinned Halep to the baseline, forcing errors and creating a break point. It was converted with a brilliant forehand winner, and a 2-1 lead materialised.
More errors from Halep assisted Svitolina to 3-1.
At 2-4, two Halep shots found the net, and a rare forehand mistake presented a break chance to Svitolina. This was wasted and serve was held. Svitolina hadn’t faced a break point so far in the set, and this run continued in the eighth game, although she was taken to deuce. Two backhand winners and excellent defence on the final point gave Svitolina a 5-3 lead.
A backhand winner from the Ukraine and Halep down 0-15. Another one and 30-30. Set point following a Halep error. Svitolina levelled the match 3-6 6-3 after Halep sent a groundshot long.
The final set saw Svitolina convert on the second of two break points to lead 2-0. That advantage was used through five games.
Halep, when serving at 1-4, faced break point following a Svitolina winner. This was saved, and another, and Halep held serve.
Svitolina failed to win another game, broken twice by a resurgent Halep who won her way into the final 6-3 3-6 6-4.
Some would say this was a remarkable victory, but Simona Halep has a habit of pulling wins out of seemingly impossible situations.
Angie Kerber (3) v Elise Mertens
Mertens achieved the first break of the match, and consolidated for a 4-1 lead. Kerber bounced back to level at 4-4, but the Belgian rallied and broke in the tenth game to take a 6-4 lead.
Set two was all German, with Kerber winning 74% of points on her serve and only needing to save one break point. In turn the Mertens serve was cracked twice and the match entered a third set.
Mertens reversed things completely in the decider, demolishing the Kerber serve, breaking it twice, and winning 29 of the 44 points contested. Elise Mertens prevailed 6-4 2-6 6-1.
The final for Mertens will be her sixth, and she has won four WTA titles in her career to date. Her match with Simona Halep will be her third straight against a top ten opponent.
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