Caroline Wozniacki beat Simona Halep in the Australian Open final. (Source: Reuters)
Things could not get bigger for the women’s final than what they are in Melbourne for the Australian Open. On one side it was current World No 1 Simona Halep and at the other was current World No 2 and former top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki. They had both played two Slam finals and lost both. One was going to get their unwanted run and in the end, after almost three gruelling hours, it was Wozniacki who won 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 to win the Australian Open 2018. With the win, Wozniacki will rise to World No 1 when the rankings are updated on Monday.
Simona Halep vs Caroline Wozniacki, Australian Open:
1649 hrs IST: WHAT A RALLY! Incredible rally and Wozniacki with a forehand winner into open court to bring up Championship point! Halep can’t help but afford a smile. Halep nets her backhand and Wozniacki wins the Australian Open 7-6, 3-6, 6-4. She will be the World No 1 player on Monday.
1645 hrs IST: Momentum shift. That breather with the medical timeout probably has done the job for Wozniacki who holds to go 5-4 up in the third set.
1644 hrs IST: You and us both, Bethanie!
Good point Heather! Can we have this please, Australian Open?
1639 hrs IST: BREAK POINT! Halep goes for too much and sends her backhand well wide. Wozniacki has chance to make it 4-4. But Halep remains positive in her approach and moves Wozniacki to the side thus opening up the court. But Wozniacki does a repeat of that strategy to bring up a second break point. Lengthy rally and Halep with a miscue on the backhand and it is into the net. BROKEN! Wozniacki levels it at 4-4!
1634 hrs IST: Wozniacki now getting her knee wrapped. Halep choosing not to sit down and rest. Is up and labouring while Wozniacki took a medical timeout.
1630 hrs IST: BREAK! Halep with a break once again. Wozniacki broken for a third straight game. Halep in the ascendency now. But things could turn dramatically – as we’ve seen multiple times in this final.
1624 hrs IST: Finally we have a service hold and the crowd love the energy by both players. Nearly 2.5 hours played and under 35 degrees heat, 60% humidity and signs of clear fatigue, both players continue to run about and battle it out.
1616 hrs IST: And Halep hands the game right back. Poor, poor serve by the Romanian and Wozniacki breaks at love. The Dane has the advantage back. 3-1 in the third set. Halep has two break right back points. Second serve and Wozniacki sends the forehand well wide. We’re back on serve! 3-2 now.
1615 hrs IST: Attendance for the evening session at Australian Open on this penultimate day:
1604 hrs IST: Despite being under plenty of physical duress and not completely fit, she has two break points. But Wozniacki saves both. Halep continues to persist with fierce forehands. And now a 23 shot rally to highlight the exemplary effort these two have put in. Halep tires out, sends a drop shot, Wozniacki picks it up and Halep tries to go for the pass but Wozniacki reads it quickly to kill off the volley. Halep comes back with a forehand winner on a weak Wozniacki second serve. Back to deuce. Halep comes back with a forehand cross court winner. 137 kmph winner – no answer back. Third break point chance. Big, big serve and courageous down the line shot to force Halep into an error. 160kmph second serve that as compared to 114 kmph in the game point just before. Deuce once again. Halep brings up another break point with another big forehand. Fourth break point. Wozniacki persisting and keeping this game going. She knows how important the break is at the moment. Back to deuce. Decisive serve return from Halep and then forehand winner into open court. Fifth break point! And once again, Wozniacki holds it. Halep can’t help but throws her hands in the air. Deuce number six. Wozniacki with plenty of court to aim for but she once again sends it straight at Halep who forces a difficult volley from Wozniacki and it goes unreturned. Sixth break point chance and unfortunately for Wozniacki, she squanders her serve with a double fault!
1557 hrs IST: Halep has spent 11.5 hrs on court before the final. Wozniacki just shy of 10 hours. Halep struggling with cramps to left foot it seems. Talk about resolve! She’s being pushed on her serve now. Deuce. Big serve and Wozniacki sends the reply long. Wozniacki comes roaring back with incredible depth in the shots to keep Halep going from side to side and inching towards a five minute mark. Simona doing everything right and stretching the rallies but tries to go for a bit too much and the backhand is wide. Poor second serve and Wozniacki has all the time to thunder a forehand down the line, Halep stretches but there was too much on it to be returned. BREAK! Wozniacki leads 2-0 in the third set.
1554 hrs IST: Both players come out and Wozniacki is serving first in this all important third set. Halep pushes her but the Dane holds her fort in the end.
1544 hrs IST: Due to severe heat in Melbourne, the heat rule is in effect. A 10 minute break and both players step away from the court
1534 hrs IST: Halep sends her forehand long and Wozniacki has two break points to bring second set to serve once again. Bold second serve and opens up the court for a backhand winner. Another chance for Wozniacki and Halep saves this one too. Thumping shots from the court and a short reply is smacked deep for a winner down the line. Deuce. Wozniacki tries to go deep on the forehand return of serve but sends it long. Set point. Halep had the complete court to aim for, had the half of the court to aim for but goes for too much. Deuce once again. Wozniacki with a mishit and it goes aerial and lands long. Second set point for Halep. Wozniacki saves another with a smart shot on the return of serve. Deuce. Halep sends her shopt long and Wozniacki has a break point. Halep saves it by pushing Caroline to the left and the outstretched shot is into the tramlines. Strong serve and third set point chance for Halep. SIMONA HALEP TAKES THE SECOND SET 6-3 and we’re into a third set! Halep with a bizarre, almost silly, drop shot and Wozniacki had to put away the short ball but she sends it straight at Halep who returns into open court but not with venom. Wozniacki gets back to try and return it but it doesn’t go away. INTO THE THIRD SET!
1533 hrs IST: Halep with some sort of discomfort to her left leg. Fatigue kicking in it seems. But she’s broken Wozniacki here to lead 5-3 in the second set
1527 hrs IST: Given how much she’s had to move this match and over the course of the past two weeks, Halep would be better off keeping the points short. Played a marathon against Kerber in sweltering heat. Not physically 100% here either. Serves to keep it on serve in the second set. 4-3
1522 hrs IST: Halep having her blood pressure checked. She’s got the trainer out. Its 32 degrees in Melbourne and 48% humidity. Good to go for now
1518 hrs IST: Halep has struggled on Wozniacki’s serve today.
Return points won on Wozniacki’s first serve: 5/30
Return points won on Wozniacki’s second serve: 3/16
She, however, holds to keep this set on serve. Struggling during the game though. Almost exhausted.
1515 hrs IST: Statistics not favouring Halep
1504 hrs IST: Halep being pushed early once again on her serve. Saves one break point but mishits her forehand to give Wozniacki another chance. Serve down the tee and Wozniacki sends the return long. Third deuce of the game. Another good serve and another return goes long. Halep had the chance to send a winner past Wozniacki but this has sailed long. Narrowly long but that was a simple putaway. This game nearing the seven minute mark. Wozniacki looked down and out but keeps persisting, painting the lines and forces Halep into an error and earns a third break point chance. Halep with a deft touch at the net with Wozniacki well far behind. Deuce once again. Wozniacki with the complete court at her mercy but the angle was tough as se had to send it over the tallest part of the net, gets around and dispatches the backhand winner. Fourth break point chance. Halep, once again, opens up the court with a shot that has Wozniacki stretching on her backhand. Sixth deuce of the game. Both players scrambling, giving it all and eventually, Wozniacki sends the backhand wide. Had that been a few centimetres right, Halep would have had no answer. Halep finally holds after an odd choice of shot by Wozniacki at the net. Halep holds and keeps it on serve at 2-1 in the second set.
1450 hrs IST: Wozniacki with a strong serve and then winner to bring up four set points. 6-2. Gorgeous backhand deep into the court and Halep has no answer to return that. Wozniacki takes the first set 7-6 (2) in 50 minutes.
1448 hrs IST: HALEP WITH AN AGGRESSIVE WINNER! Just what her box would want her to do. Forces Wozniacki into plenty of running, side to side, lots of depth into those shots and kills it off with a forehand winner. 4-2 at the changeover. But Wozniacki is not going away. She roars back with her deep strokes as well. Uses down the line shot to open up the court and Halep can’t return the next shot. 5-2 now to Wozniacki
1447 hrs IST: Halep runs around and attacks the Wozniacki second serve but cooks it too much. Gets her angles all wrong and it goes wide. 3-1. Halep then sends her backhand return into the net. Wozniacki leads 4-1 in the tiebreak.
1445 hrs IST: Wozniacki serves first and what a start to the tiebreak. Both players with immaculately deep returns, going side to side, pushing each inch of the court before Wozniacki finds the gap with a drive volley. The Dane compounds Halep’s frustration with yet another strong point to get an early minibreak. Halep comes back with an ace out wide. 2-1 to Wozniacki.
1443 hrs IST: Wozniacki with a superb forehand winner down the line on Halep’s serve. But she can’t return the next serve and Halep holds to force a tiebreak.
1439 hrs IST: Comfortable hold for both ladies thereafter. Love holds for both. And Halep will once again serve to stay in this opening set.
1425 hrs IST: All Wozniacki so far, much to Halep’s disappointment. Now the Dane serving for the opening set at 5-3. Halep forces Wozniacki into coming at the net and the volley is poor. 0-30. Wozniacki moves forward and sends her forehand long. Poor shot. 0-40 and three break back points for Simona. Wozniacki with a bold 160kmph second serve, pushes Halep side to side before the Romanian errs in backhand winner down the line attempt. Saves another with another big serve. 178kmph serve that. 30-40. Wozniacki with an odd forehand sliced push and it sails long. BREAK! We’re back on serve and Wozniacki leads 5-4.
1417 hrs IST: What an explosive start from Wozniacki here! She’s quickly off the blocks and has taken a break early in this opening set. Halep still to find her range and Wozniacki not one to step away from things. She’s 4-1 up.
1355 hrs IST: What both players are after?
1350 hrs IST: Halep is ready. Came close last year at the French Open but lost to Jelena Ostapenko
1330 hrs IST: What evenly poised final this is. First time that a final pits two players who have saved match points on their way to the last match of the tournament. Third Slam final for both ladies and neither have won a title before. Either way, we will have a new Slam champion!