Kiki Bertens stuns world number one Simona Halep to win in Cincinnati

It was the biggest win of the world number 17's career, the first time a Dutch player had won in Cincinnati and her maiden win against the Romanian

Monday 20 August 2018 07:53 BST
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Bertens triumphed for the biggest win of her career
Bertens triumphed for the biggest win of her career

World number one Simona Halep crashed to a shock defeat to Kiki Bertens in a dramatic final of the Western & Southern Open.

Bertens prevailed 2-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-2 in a real test of nerve as she was forced to save championship point in a roller-coaster second set when the tables turned in thrilling fashion.

It was the biggest win of the world number 17's career, the first time a Dutch player had won in Cincinnati and her maiden win against a world number one, taking two hours and five minutes to do it.

Halep was playing close to her best in a one-sided opening set that she claimed 6-2 in 30 minutes, her clinical tennis overwhelming the underdog.

The early stages of the second set produced an unexpected swing as Bertens exploded into life to establish a 4-1 lead, only to then crumble once more.

She won just two points en route to seeing the score tied at 4-4 and, as her lead ebbed away, so too did her stamina.

But the ninth game witnessed a stirring revival as she survived break point that arrived at the end of a monster rally before upping the power to take the game.

Set point came cloaked in luck as a return struck the net and slipped over, but Halep rallied to take the 10th as her opponent hurled her racket into the air in frustration.

Halep fell to defeat in a dramatic final 

Another swing came early in the tie-break as Bertens reeled off four points in a row to establish a 4-2 lead and, having later saved Championship point, she took the set.

And the decider was proving equally hard work for a visibly frustrated Halep, who lost 10 points in a row as she conceded a 4-1 lead and responded by shaking her head.

It was turning into a procession and Bertens took advantage of the Romanian's loss of composure to close out the set.

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