Simona Halep fails to qualify for WTA Rome tournament final

Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, ranked second in the world, has failed to defeat Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro in the next to last stage of the 2,428,490-dollar tournament on Saturday, being defeated by 2-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Photo credit: (c) Silviu MATEI / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

Halep managed to hold out for two hours and 29 minutes of balanced play, against an opponent who maintained a high level of play all throughout the match.

Halep started the match weakly and was led by 2-0, but regained her bearings and performed better and better, managing to win the set by 6-2 after 35 minutes of play.

The Romanian player started the second set better, managing a break, but lost her tempo, fact speculated by the Spaniard who took control of the game, leading by 3-1 and 5-2. Simona reduced the difference to 3-5, saved two set points and had a huge chance at 4-5 that she did not manage to follow through, Navarro managing to gain the set by 6-3.

The decisive set was unusual, with the two head to head until 4-4. Halep was the first to take advantage of her service (5-4), but was tied soon by Carla Suarez (5-5) who went on to take the lead and win by 7-5.

Simona is tied in direct confrontations with the Spaniard, 5-5, but the Romanian had managed to win the previous three matches, without taking into consideration last year's forfait in Rome.

Halep, who is now at risk to lose her second place standing in the WTA rankings will receive a check worth 99,870 euro and 350 WTA points.

In the final, Carla Suarez Navarro will face a Russian player, the winner of the match between Maria Sharapova and Daria Gavrilova. AGERPRES