WTA Linz: Simona Halep with comeback victory in the semifinals
Simona Halep made it to the semifinals of the WTA Tour 250 tournament in Linz with great difficulty. The Romanian won against Jasmine Paolini from Italy 4: 6, 7: 5 and 6: 0.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Nov 10, 2021, 08:11 pm
Yes, it is also the last tournament week of 2021 for Simona Halep. And even if the Romanian was unable to complete her usual program due to several injuries, one cannot expect the two-time major champion to be as fresh as at the beginning of November for example at the start of the season in Australia. And when a player like Jasmine Paolini comes around the corner who simply pegs every ball without fear, then Halep also has her problems.
Problems so big that the Italian made a lightning start, serving at 5: 3 on winning the first set. Halep showed comeback qualities (and after the re-break also his fist), but a few moments later had to dig deep into his bag of tricks again. Halep conceded two set balls to her opponent, the Romanian cheered the second into the net, a little unfocused. 42 minutes were played.
Halep with worldwide support
After Emma Raducanu's departure, Simona Halep is the most prominent player remaining in the Linz field, the 30-year-old has already occupied the top position in the WTA charts. And enjoys high levels of sympathy worldwide, especially among her Romanian compatriots who have emigrated. In Linz, too, after the loss of the first movement, there were the striking “Simona, Simona” cheers, which did not fail to have an effect: Simona Halep opened the second act with a break.
Paolini's answer followed immediately, the Italian equalized to 1: 1 without much effort. Halep did not immediately contest the fact that she made the next break with the 3: 1, she made the connection again with the fourth chance on serve Paolini. At 4: 4 Halep left chances of a renewed sense of achievement with Paolini's serve. But good: after one and a half hours of play, Halep took the lead 6: 5. Paolini didn't win a point in the second set.
Simona Halep had now reached operating temperature at the latest. Which was also expressed in the fact that the favorite took off her long top. Was that what impressed Paolini? One does not know. In any case, the Italian screwed up a 40-0 lead in the first game and gave up her serve with a double fault. And then did not find the lost thread again. After 2:13 hours of play, Simona Halep used her first match ball.
In the semifinals on Thursday it will either be against Veronika Kudermetova or Lucky Loser Jaqueline Cristian. The first semi-final will be a purely American affair: The two good friends Danielle Collins and Alison Riske will meet.