Halep to meet Stephens in French Open final

Halep, the runner-up in 2014 and 2017, will face Sloane Stephens in the final. Her victory over third seed Muguruza also means she will retain the world number one ranking next week. 

“I am really happy that I won the match, it was very important for my mind and I gave it all I had,” said Romanian Halep. After racing through the first set, Halep saved three break points in a marathon ninth game of the second which lasted 13 minutes. 

Halep has now defeated Muguruza in both their meetings on clay. However, her sights now turn to the final where she is desperate to erase the memories of last year’s horror show where she surrendered a set and a 3-0 lead to lose to Jelena Ostapenko. 

“I have another chance and hope to do better than last year.” Halep raced into a 5-0 lead in the first set against misfiring 2016 champion Muguruza who had blasted Maria Sharapova off court on Wednesday for the loss of just three games. 

The 24-year-old Spaniard stopped the rot in the sixth game before Halep quickly reasserted her authority. A sweeping, running forehand into an open court gave her the set with Muguruza having managed just two winners. It was the first set that the Wimbledon champion had dropped at Roland Garros this year. She also failed to win a single service game in the opener. 

Muguruza settled down in the second set, moving 2-0 ahead before Halep levelled in the eighth game. That set the stage for the lengthy ninth game where Halep stood firm. The spirit ebbed away from Muguruza, who converted just two of the eight break points she carved out, and a backhand which sailed long sealed her fate in the 10th game. 

In the other all-American semi-final Sloane Stephens edged Madison Keys with identical scores of 6-4 in both sets to set up a clash with topseed Halep on Saturday. In the mixed doubles final, Croatia’s Ivan Didig and Taiwan’s Latisha Chan defeated Mate Pavic and Gabriela Dabrowski 6-1 6-7 10-8 to clinch the title at Roland Garros.