This year’s Australian Open will conclude with the top two seeds, Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki, battling it out for their maiden Grand Slam title.
In the absence of perennial big names Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka, as well as the early departures of Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova, the potential for a first-time champion at Melbourne Park grew as each round passed by.
By the end of the third round, of the two former champions who started in the draw, only 2016 champion Angelique Kerber remained by way of a straight-sets win over Sharapova, the 2008 titlist.
But the German’s chances of a second Australian Open title ended when she was defeated by Halep in a semi-final thriller, despite holding two match points in the final set.
This marked the second match in which Halep, the world number one, had to save match points in her run to her first final at Melbourne Park, having saved three in her epic third-round win over Lauren Davis in which the final set lasted 28 games.
She won her other four matches in straight sets, including straight-sets dismissals of former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard and former world number one Karolina Pliskova in the quarter-finals.
The Romanian’s run to the final was made all the more impressive given she endured two major scares in her first round win over Australian Destanee Aiava, where she suffered an ankle injury and was down 2-5 in the opening set before claiming 11 of the final 13 games of the match.
Nonetheless, the 26-year-old has advanced to her third major final, and first outside Roland Garros where she was beaten in three sets in both the 2014 and 2017 finals by Maria Sharapova and Jelena Ostapenko, respectively.
(Carine06 / Flickr)
Thus, Halep will be hoping that it is third time lucky when she comes up against former world number one Caroline Wozniacki in tomorrow night’s championship match.
The Dane, twice a beaten finalist at the US Open, has enjoyed a mid-career renaissance after dropping to as low as 74th following an ankle injury she suffered during the 2016 clay court season.
At that point, many feared that her best tennis was behind her, but she would embark on a stunning run to the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows where she lost to the eventual champion, Angelique Kerber.
Her resurgence continued into 2017, where she reached the quarter-finals at the French Open, losing to the eventual champion, Jelena Ostapenko, and won the biggest title of her career at the WTA Finals in Singapore, defeating Venus Williams in the championship match.
By reaching the final in her first tournament for the year in Auckland, she gained the second seeding for the Australian Open, and now has the chance to reclaim the world number one ranking for the first time since January 2012.
En route to her first final at Melbourne Park, the 27-year-old also had to save several match points, doing so against Jana Fett in the second round.
She was also stretched to three sets by Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro in the quarter-finals, and required a tiebreak set to defeat Elise Mertens in her semi-final clash in straight sets.
The latter victory buried the demons of her heartbreaking three-set loss to Li Na in the 2011 semi-finals, in which she won the first set and had a match point in the second set before capitulating in three.
All that aside, her most impressive performance cane in the fourth round where she thrashed Wimbledon semi-finalist Magdalena Rybarikova in straight sets, losing just three games (all in the opening set).
Like Halep, Wozniacki will also be hoping that it is third time lucky in a Grand Slam final, but her situation is worse: in her two US Open finals, she failed to win a set from Kim Clijsters or Serena Williams in 2009 and 2014 respectively.
(Tatiana / Flickr)
However, many believe her to be peaking at the right time in her career, having previously reigned at the top of the rankings between October 2010 and January 2012, in between her two major final defeats in New York.
The stage is now set for what should be an interesting and intriguing women’s final. Here is everything you need to know entering the first major final of 2018:
[1] Simona Halep (ROU) versus [2] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)
Saturday, January 27
Not before 7:30pm
Rod Laver Arena
Head to head
All matches: Wozniacki 4-2
At majors: first meeting
In finals: first meeting
Last meeting: Wozniacki won 6-0, 6-2, round robin, 2017 WTA Finals
Simona Halep’s road to the final
Round 1: defeated Destanee Aiava (AUS) 7-6 (7-5), 6-1
Round 2: defeated Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) 6-2, 6-2
Round 3: defeated Lauren Davis (USA) 4-6, 6-4, 15-13
Round 4: defeated Naomi Osaka (JPN) 6-3, 6-2
Quarter-final: defeated [6] Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 6-3, 6-2
Semi-final: defeated [21] Angelique Kerber (GER) 6-3, 4-6, 9-7
Caroline Wozniacki’s road to the final
Round 1: defeated Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROU) 6-2, 6-3
Round 2: defeated Jana Fett (CRO) 3-6, 6-2, 7-5
Round 3: defeated [30] Kiki Bertens (NED) 6-4, 6-3
Round 4: defeated [19] Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) 6-3, 6-0
Quarter-final: defeated Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) 6-0, 6-7 (3-7), 6-2
Semi-final: defeated Elise Mertens (BEL) 6-2, 7-6 (7-2)
Stats that matter
* This will be both players’ third Grand Slam final, but first outside the French Open (Halep) or US Open (Wozniacki). For both this is their first Australian Open final.
* This is the first one versus two women’s Grand Slam final since the 2015 Australian Open, when Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova in straight sets.
* However, this will be the one versus two women’s Grand Slam final in which neither player has previously won a major title.
* This will be the third Grand Slam tournament in the past four to guarantee a new champion.
* There will be a brand new Australian Open women’s champion for the first time since 2014 (when Li Na defeated Dominika Cibulkova in the final).
* This will be their seventh meeting overall; Wozniacki leads the head to head 4-2.
* This will be their first meeting at a major, and first in a final.
* This will be the first Grand Slam final featuring two opponents who had to save match points en route to the final.
* If Simona Halep triumphs, she will become the first woman to win a Grand Slam title after saving match points in two separate matches.
* The world number one ranking is on the line in tomorrow night’s final. Whoever wins will leave Melbourne Park on top of the rankings.
Prediction
Caroline Wozniacki in three sets.
Meantime, Marin Cilic has become the first man to advance to Sunday night’s men’s championship match, following his straight sets win over Kyle Edmund last night.
He will await the winner of tonight’s clash between Hyeon Chung and Roger Federer.
Match on Day 12
Not before 7:30pm
Hyeon Chung (KOR) versus [2] Roger Federer (SUI)
Whether it’s aces or races, try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp for great odds and a great punting experience. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
The clay season promises to be one of high level and tight margins. With the Monte Carlo open just around the corner, it will…
In incredible scenes, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz's quarter-final clash with Alexander Zverev at Indian Wells was halted abruptly due to a "bee invasion." Less…
Marathon man Jordan Thompson has finally clinched his first ATP Tour title, with the Australian upsetting Norwegian Casper Ruud to lift the trophy in…
Alex de Minaur has earned the perfect 25th birthday present, booking a place in the final of the Rotterdam Open with an emphatic revenge…
While watching the recent Australian Tennis Open I became obsessively fixated on the same thought. Why has no one done a television biopic or…
'Murray’s plight continues'. The words on commentary as the former world number 1 slumped to a sixth straight defeat against Tomas Machac at the…
