Simona Halep had another dream week at the Premier Five tournament in Cincinnati. She became the number two player in the world again after playing high-quality tennis, but yesterday she stumbled against the rock named Serena Williams for the 7th time in her career.
Simona took her chances, put on a brave show, but didn't manage to beat the world leader on home turf.
However, being number two in the WTA rankings now will help Simona have an easier draw at the US Open, and the chance of a rematch against Serena in the very final of the last Grand Slam of the year.
Simona Halep yesterday played the 19th WTA final in her career and lost again, same as in Toronto the week before. In Cincinnati, the Romanian bowed to the number one player in the world though, American Serena Williams. Halep made a good start but lost the first 6 - 3 after only 32 minutes.
The Romanian player put up a much stronger resistance in the second set, which eventually slipped away from her grasp late in the tie-break, won by Williams at 5.
Simona Halep came on top in only one of seven matches against Serena Williams, whom she managed to beat once at last year's WTA Finals in Singapore. Besides the no.2 WTA ranking, this runner-up finish in Cincinnati also brought the Romanian a hefty, 240 thousand dollar paycheck.