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BSP-14
TENNIS-ATP-WTA-USA-PLISKOVA-HALEP
Pliskova roars past Halep into Miami WTA final
MIAMI, March 29, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Simona Halep missed the chance to return
to world number one as a devastating display from Karolina Pliskova sealed
the Czech’s passage into the Miami Open WTA final 7-5, 6-1.
Romania’s Halep would have reclaimed the top spot in women’s tennis if she
had reached Saturday’s showpiece following current number one Naomi Osaka’s
early exit and Petra Kvitova falling to Ashleigh Barty in the last eight.
But Pliskova, the world number seven, had other ideas, rattling off an
incredible nine games in a row to blitz Halep and set up an intriguing battle
with Australian Barty — a 6-3, 6-3 winner over Estonian Anett Kontaveit.
“It wasn’t easy waiting for so long but I managed to stay aggressive,”
said Pliskova, who hit 29 winners to Halep’s 18 in the match that finished
after 1 am thanks to a series of rain delays. “Ashleigh is a good player, but
I am excited for the final.
The South Florida weather played havoc with Thursday’s schedule at Hard
Rock Stadium, no more so than when the rains returned with Pliskova on the
brink of a brilliant win.
Play was initially halted at 3-3 in the in the first.
When they resumed, Halep edged ahead 5-3 before Pliskova roared back,
taking the first set and a 5-0 lead in the second before rain forced them
from the court again.
Halep, who recovered from 1-5 down in the second set in her quarter-final
match against Wang Qiang, held serve upon the restart.
But in the very next game, Pliskova served out to ruin Halep’s hope of
reclaiming the number one ranking she lost when Japan’s Osaka won the
Australian Open earlier this year.
BSS/AFP/BZC/1830HRS