Bertens shocks Halep to win Cincinnati title

World No.17 Kiki Bertens saved a championship point to deny world No.1 Simona Halep a first Cincinnati title and claim the biggest victory of her career.

The Dutch player came back to win 2-6 7-6(6) 6-2 after two hours and five minutes – her eighth win in a row over top-10 opponents and first ever against a No.1.

“Winning a title like this, my first hardcourt title, and then against No. 1 of the world, getting my career high on Monday – I don’t know. It’s just coming everything together, I guess,” said Bertens.

“I think I didn’t have really a good time to get nervous, because I was just so tired.

“I think it was such a tough match, and after winning that second set I knew, like, anything is still possible.”

It was the third time Halep had lost a final in Cincinnati and meant the Romanian missed out on becoming the first woman to win the Canadian and Cincinnati titles back-to-back.

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“Maybe once I will win one because I love to play here,” said Halep.

“I was a little bit tired this week but it was a pleasure to come here and play. Definitely, I want to congratulate Kiki. You played amazing and you definitely deserve this title.”

Halep dominated the opening set but found the aggressive Bertens increasingly difficult to handle in the second.

.@kikibertens wins the 2018 @CincyTennis Title!

Beats Simona Halep 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-2!

It is Bertens’ first-ever victory over a World No. 1 and her first hardcourt title! pic.twitter.com/6ml1jh7tmr

— WTA (@WTA) August 19, 2018

After recovering from a 4-1 deficit to force a tiebreak, the Halep had her opportunity to close out at 6-5, but a big forehand from Bertens snuffed out the chance and the Dutch woman took the next two points to level the scores.

The decider began with breaks of serve traded before Bertens stretched out to a 4-1 lead that she would not relinquish.