Share

Halep wins Madrid Open

Madrid - Romania's Simona Halep sealed her first title in 14 months with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Dominika Cibulkova to claim the Madrid Open on Saturday.

Halep stormed through the first set in half an hour and needed just one break in the first game of the second to win her first tournament since Indian Wells last year.

Victory will move Halep up from seventh to fifth in the world when the latest rankings are released on Monday while victory is also a timely boost ahead of the French Open which starts in two weeks.

After an inconsistent season, Halep looked close to the form that made her world number two last year and made the most of a collapsing field as she didn't have to face a top ten player on her route to the title.

"I am really happy to win this trophy, it's really special for me, it's a special moment," said Halep.

At 38 in the world, Cibulkova was the lowest player to reach a premier mandatory WTA tournament in seven years and she was blown away early on by the consistency and depth of Halep's ground strokes.

The 2014 French Open finalist won seven of the first eight points on her way to opening up a 5-1 lead.

Halep then had to fend off three break points on her way to sealing the set 6-2, but immediately took control of the second by breaking in the opening game.

Cibulkova had her chance to break back in a marathon 16-point fourth game, but Halep held on and then served out convincingly for the match in style with an ace for her 12th career title.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2244 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE