Simona Halep: "I really wanted this title"

Simona Halep won the Dubai tournament after an exciting final that thrilled the crowd. The Romanian, former world number 1, beat Elena Rybakina after two and a half hours of battle.

“It felt much better than previous matches,” Halep said. “I played really well. Everything went on my side. I felt the ball great. I feel like I played the best match since I came here. It’s always a nice opportunity and privilege to play the last match of the tournament. I play for another trophy, so I’m relaxed.

I’m focused. I really want it. It’s amazing what [Rybakina’s] done already this year. I saw her a little bit during some matches. She has a big serve. I have to pay attention to my return and to be like today, confident, aggressive if there is a chance, just fighting. It’s the best thing to do now,” she added.

She has entered the Top 10 list of players for most consecutive weeks ranked in the World's Top 10, according to the WTA Insider Twitter account. This past Monday's rankings was the 317th consecutive week that Halep, who has won two Grand Slam titles in her career so far, has spent inside the World's Top 10.

Halep started the 2020 WTA Tour at the new tournament in Adelaide, where she defeated Ajla Tomljanovic, but lost in the quarterfinals to Aryna Sabalenka. At the 2020 Australian Open, Halep reached the semifinals, where she lost to Garbine Muguruza, after having defeated Jennifer Brady, Harriet Dart, Yulia Putintseva, Elise Mertens, and Anett Kontaveit.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2HLUs8u