Romania’s Simona Halep, the former world #1, claimed her second career Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, upsetting Serena Williams and denying the American the chance to equal Margaret Court’s Grand Slam record with a stunning 6-2 6-2 victory in just under an hour. The straight sets result came as a surprise to many fans who had expected a close contest, with a Serena victory the most likely outcome. Halep’s consistency and error-free game made the difference though, as she took advantage of an off day for Williams and won yet another match without dropping a set (all but one of her seven Wimbledon wins this year came in straight sets).
Halep got off to a fast start, breaking twice and holding twice for a 4-0 lead within 15 minutes in the first set and never had to look back in the match, with both sets taking 30 minutes or less to complete. Williams did manage to win her final two service games of the opening set but failed to convert a break point chance 1-4 down on the Halep serve, with the Romanian holding with a scintillating cross-court forehand.
In the second set Serena tried to raise her level, and the match was close until the 2-2 game where Halep broke, and then the floodgates opened with Halep breaking once again in a long service game that saw her take the second break point chance for a 5-2 lead. Halep then served the match out to love with steely confidence. Overall she won 83% of her first serve points and that, paired with saving the only break point she faced while taking four of the five break points she created meant that the match was surprisingly routine.
With her efficient, confident play, it’s certain that Halep can win more Slams, while Williams will continue to threaten for the Slam record, as she remains one behind Margaret Court. She will surely have every chance at the US Open to tie things up if she can get some more matches under her belt. But today, Halep played one of the matches of her life, displaying an incredible level that surely no player in the world could have matched.
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