Simona Halep one win from a return to No.1

Simona Halep is one win away from reclaiming the world’s top ranking.

The Romanian overcome a second-set lapse to secure a 6-4 7-5 quarterfinal victory over China’s Wang Qiang in Miami.

To secure a No.1 return, Halep needs to defeat fifth seed Karolina Pliskova in the semifinals; Pliskova won an all-Czech battle in the quarterfinals, defeating teen compatriot Marketa Vondrousova 6-3 6-4.

.@KaPliskova wins the battle of the Czechs at the @MiamiOpen!

Powers into the semifinals with a 6-3, 6-4 win! pic.twitter.com/tpqDKCpKVB

— WTA (@WTA) March 28, 2019

Pliskova: “I practiced with Simona before @MiamiOpen and I lost 0-6. So it can only get better.”

Enticing rematch of their dramatic Fed Cup match in February, which Halep won 64 57 64.

If Halep wins, she returns to No.1.

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) March 28, 2019

Australian Ash Barty faces Anett Kontaveit in the other semifinal.

Second seed Halep stormed back from 1-5 down in the second set, saving three set points before wrapping up the win over 18th-seeded Wang in 89 minutes.

Halep started strongly and broke Wang three times to race into a 4-1 lead, closing out the first set when she cut off the angle on a short forehand and blasted a winner into the open court.

But Wang came out firing in the second set, breaking Halep three times and holding to love in back-to-back service games to build a 5-1 lead.

It's Simona who is in the semis!@Simona_Halep claims the match over Wang, 6-4, 7-5.#MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/18rUfoSiGr

— WTA (@WTA) March 27, 2019

Wang nearly forced a decisive third set as she threatened to break Halep again when she quickly jumped out to 0-40 in the 10th game, but the Romanian displayed confident net play to get out of the jam.

Halep matches her best result in Miami, which came in 2015 when she lost to Serena Williams in the semifinals.

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“Playing again in the semifinals is going to be a big challenge. And maybe I can do my best result here and play in the final,” she said. “It’s going to be a big match in the next round.”

Halep, the highest seed left in the draw following Naomi Osaka’s third-round exit, said that while she is aware of her chance to reclaim top spot in the rankings, that is not on her mind.

“If I play well, if I play my best tennis, I have a better chance to become number one again,” she said.

“But it’s not in my mind. I just want to find my rhythm, to find my level and just play as good as possible.”

"I have to win this tournament!"@Simona_Halep has her eyes on the #MiamiOpen ???? pic.twitter.com/Y2IguSFKUE

— WTA (@WTA) March 27, 2019