Simona Halep secures Italian Open final against defending champion Elina Svitolina
Romanian will aim to avoid a repeat of her defeat to defending champion Elina Svitolina on Sunday
Saturday 19 May 2018 20:32, UK
Simona Halep defeated Maria Sharapova to reach the Italian Open final and maintain her hopes of a first title in Rome.
The world No 1 won 4-6 6-1 6-4 to secure only her second victory in nine meetings against her Russian opponent, who was aiming to progress to her first final at the Foro Italico since 2015.
Halep, with one title so far this season in Shenzhen, lost in the final last season but will hope for revenge against defending champion Elina Svitolina.
The opening six games all went against serve, with Sharapova's hold in the seventh game enough for the 31-year-old to take the initiative in proceedings.
Halep showed good resolve to break Sharapova at the start of the second set and two further breaks, coupled with fending off two break point opportunities enabled her to force a deciding set.
Sharapova began the final set encouragingly with a sixth break of the match, only for Halep to hit back immediately.
After the five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova fought her way back onto serve and within two games of victory at 4-4, it was Halep who pulled through to clinch the win with one final decisive break of serve.
Svitolina reached the Italian Open final for the second year running after a 6-4 6-4 win over Anett Kontaveit.
The unseeded Kontaveit had powered through her quarter of the draw but met her match in Svitolina, who broke the powerful Estonian's serve four times.
She will now bid for her third title of the season, having already won tournaments in Brisbane and Dubai.
The fourth seed is in fine form ahead of the French Open, where she will hope to improve on a quarter-final appearance last year.
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