MELBOURNE, Australia Jan 26, 2018
For 2 hours, 20 minutes under a hot Melbourne sun, world No. 1 Simona Halep and 16th-ranked Angelique Kerber put on a clinic of power, precision, grit, and willpower.
Halep ultimately won the match 6-3, 4-6, 9-7 to reach the Australian Open final. It was the longest women’s Aussie Open semifinal in terms of total games played in the Open era.
Both players saved match points before Halep finally prevailed on her fourth.
“Well, definitely was very tough. I’m shaking now — I’m really emotional,” Halep said after the match. “I’m really glad that I could resist. Today I was like a roller coaster up and down but I had confidence in myself.”
