Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Halep rolls over Svitolina to reach first Wimbledon final

IN years to come when tennis fans flick through the hefty 500-page Wimbledon Compendium, they will note that in 2019 Simona Halep rolled over Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in the semi-finals for the loss of just four games.

What the 6-1 6-3 scoreline will not reveal, however, was that Halep took nine minutes to hold serve in the opening game of the encounter played out in glorious sunshine on Centre Court or that Svitolina earned and squandered three break points.


Readers will also have no idea that the first two games alone lasted 20 exhilarating minutes, featuring 10 break points and that Svitolina could have been 2-0 up if she had capitalised on the numerous opportunities that fell her way.

Instead, it was Halep who grabbed the 2-0 lead before running away with a victory that put her one win from becoming the first Romanian to lift a Wimbledon singles trophy.

"It is an amazing feeling. I am very excited and nervous, It was one of the best moments of my life and I am trying to enjoy it," said a beaming Halep after her 73-minute destruction set up a final against Serena Williams.

"I am going to fight to the end because I really want to win this championship."

As both Halep and Svitolina stretched every sinew running to chase down everything their opponent could throw at them in rallies that went on for over 20 shots, fans who had settled into their $200 seats thought they were about to witness a show-stopping battle that could become an all-time classic.

But just when Williams and Barbora Strycova, who were waiting in the wings ready to contest the second semi-final, might have been contemplating if they would need to change their dinner plans, Halep was broken to love in the very next game.

It was that sort of a strange match.

A clash that had looked close on paper, with eighth seed Svitolina holding a 4-3 advantage in head-to-head meetings with seventh seed Halep, ended up being thin on drama.

Before Svitolina had a chance to daydream about what it would be like to become the first Ukrainian to feature in a Wimbledon singles final, she had lost the first set without holding her serve even once.

It might have taken Halep 20 minutes to win the first two games, but the rest of the set lasted only another 23 minutes to the disappointment of not only Svitolina but also her tennis-playing boyfriend Gael Monfils who sat frowning in the players' box.

The daughter of a former wrestler, Svitolina simply struggled to grapple with Halep's solid baseline tactics and the crowd also found it hard to make much sense of what they were witnessing.

"In the beginning you want to make a statement that you are there for the fight. I didn't take my chances. That's was disappointing," said Svitolina.

When Svitolina finally held serve for the first time to open the second set, the 'sympathy clap' that usually follows such occasions was also missing. It appeared as if the 15,000 spectators had lost interest in a match that was heading for only one conclusion.

Halep stormed through her first three service games in the second set without dropping a point and within a blink of an eye, she held two match points at 5-3 upon Svitolina's serve.

A forehand error on the first delayed her celebrations but she made no mistake on the second when the Ukrainian netted a backhand.

Sticking her tongue out, Halep looked up to the heavens with arms held aloft as she soaked up the standing ovation from the cheering fans having completed a win she described as "one of my best on grass".

While Halep tried to play down the demolition job by suggesting "it is not like the scoreline looks, each game went long and deep", Svitolina summed up the 27-year-old Romanian's performance by saying: "She played unbelievable today.

"She was moving really good, striking the ball perfectly. It was a little bit me making poor decisions in some important moments, and her playing unbelievably which made the score like that."

(Reuters)

More For You

Asia Cup 2025: India and Pakistan brace for high-stakes clash

Cricket fans with their bodies painted in the colours of the Indian and Pakistani national flags pose for photographs ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 match between India and Pakistan, in Ahmedabad. (PTI Photo)

Asia Cup 2025: India and Pakistan brace for high-stakes clash

INDIA and Pakistan face off on Sunday (14) in their first T20 International in more than 15 months, a contest carrying both sporting and political weight.

India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has urged his players to put emotions aside after recent cross-border tensions, stressing that focus must remain on cricket.

Keep ReadingShow less
India Pak

India began their campaign with a nine-wicket win against the UAE, bowling them out for 57 in 13.1 overs before chasing the target in just 27 balls on Thursday. (Photo: Getty Images)

India and Pakistan set for Asia Cup clash after May conflict

AN INDIA-PAKISTAN cricket match always draws attention, and emotions are set to run high when the two teams meet on Sunday in the Asia Cup. The contest comes months after the neighbours engaged in a four-day military conflict in May.

Bilateral cricket ties between the two countries have been suspended for years, and the arch-rivals now face each other only in multi-nation tournaments. The upcoming Group A fixture will be their first meeting since the May clashes, which nearly escalated into a full-scale war.

Keep ReadingShow less
Litton-Hridoy-Getty

Bangladesh lost two early wickets in their chase, but Litton built a 95-run stand with Towhid Hridoy, who remained unbeaten on 35, to take the team to 144-3 in 17.4 overs. (Photo: c

Getty Images

Litton, Towhid steer Bangladesh past Hong Kong in Asia Cup

CAPTAIN Litton Das scored 59 to guide Bangladesh to a seven-wicket win over Hong Kong in their opening Asia Cup match on Thursday.

Invited to bat first in Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong made 143-7 with Nizakat Khan top-scoring on 42.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep picked three wickets in one over with his left-arm wrist spin as India bowled out UAE for 57 in 13.1 overs after choosing to field.

Getty Images

Kuldeep takes four as India thrash UAE in Asia Cup opener

KULDEEP YADAV took 4-7 as India began their Asia Cup campaign with a nine-wicket win over hosts United Arab Emirates in Dubai on Wednesday.

Kuldeep picked three wickets in one over with his left-arm wrist spin as India bowled out UAE for 57 in 13.1 overs after choosing to field.

Keep ReadingShow less
Djed Spence

England manager Thomas Tuchel gives instructions to England's Djed Spence before he comes on as a substitute.

Reuters

Djed Spence becomes first Muslim to play for England

TOTTENHAM Hotspur defender Djed Spence made his England debut on Tuesday, becoming the first Muslim to play for the national team.

The 25-year-old came on as a substitute in the 69th minute, replacing Chelsea’s Reece James during England’s 5-0 World Cup qualifying win in Belgrade.

Keep ReadingShow less