Simona Halep defeats Kirsten Flipkens in the semi-final of Grand Prix De SAR
Romanian tennis player Simona Halep defeated Belgian Kirsten Flipkens in the semi-final of the 2011 Grand Prix SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem tournament. The Romanian pro ousted her opponent in straight sets to qualify for the main
spot of the 2011 Grand Prix tournament. The higher ranked Romanian managed to defeat her Belgian opponent in straight sets 7-5, 6-4, taking not more than one hour and thirty minutes.
Halep made the most splashing performance of the season at the ASB Classic, Auckland, where she qualified for the quarterfinals, beating Ayumi Morita and Elena Vesnina, before losing in straight sets to the ultimate runner-up Yanina
Wickmayer and not progressing to the semi final.
Halep, who is a seventh seed at the tournament, defeated Anastasiya Yakimova, Alla Kudryavtseva and fourth seed Greta Arn to reach the semi final of the tournament. Whereas her opponent battled past Silvia Soler Espinosa, Eleni
Daniilidou and wild card Moroccan, Nadia Lalami to secure her berth in the semi final.
Halep is currently ranked World Number 52, whereas her opponent lags thirty four places behind at World Number 86. The Romanian pro began the first set quite well, scoring 74 percent of her first serves whereas Flipkens lagged
behind with a meager 47 percent. Halep saved 57 percent of breakpoints and 54 percent of points in total to clinch the first set with a 7-5 score line.
The final set was even easier for the Romanian, who played her aggressive baseline shots to dismiss Flipkens. She fired in a single ace and 67 percent of her first serves, and managed to win 75 percent of points on them. Flipkens
on the other hand, won a meager 50 percent on her 47 percent first serves. The Romanian won 55 percent of the points in total and clinched the second set with a 6-4 score line.
Halep will face Alberta Brianti of Italy in the Finals of the tournament. This will be the second meeting between these two. Their first meeting on court came in 2010 when Halep defeated Brianti in straight sets at the Rogers Cup
in Montreal, Canada.
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