Simona Halep wins third National Bank Open with victory over Beatriz Haddad Maia

The 26-year-old Haddad Maia has never won a tennis tournament at this level before but has rocketed up the WTA Tour’s standings this year.

She upset three seeded players at the National Bank Open: 13th-seeded Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que., world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, and 14th-seeded Karolina Pliskova in succession.

A year ago, Haddad Maia was ranked 183rd in the world, but entered this week’s tournament No. 24 and will crack the top-20 next week.

A visibly frustrated Halep started yelling at herself after she fell behind to Haddad Maia 3-0 in the opening set.

Some Brazilian fans — many of them in yellow national soccer kit — started chanting “Bee-ah! Bee-ah!” to cheer on Haddad-Maia but they were soon drowned out by Romanian fans’ calls of “See-moh-nah! See-moh-nah!”

The chanting seemed to rouse Halep. A deep forehand return on set point was just out of the reach of Haddad Maia’s extended racket sealed six consecutive games for Halep as she came back to take the first set.

Haddad Maia seemed to shake off that stunning comeback by Halep to start the second set. She quickly won the first two games, then fended off Halep on two more for a 4-0 lead.

Although Halep won a game back to slow Haddad Maia slightly and make it 4-1, the younger Brazilian immediately reclaimed that momentum to make it 5-1.

Halep claimed another game before Haddad Maia could serve for the second set. Haddad Maia jumped out to a 40-15 advantage and then her serve handcuffed Halep to win the set and force a decisive third and final set.

For the first time in the match, Halep opened a set with a game winner when Haddad Maia’s return was well out. She then took a 2-0 lead when Haddad Maia’s return of her forehand went long.

A video review was necessary to confirm that Haddad Maia’s deep forehand was, in fact, in by millimetres on game point as she cut into Halep’s third-set lead by one.

Halep answered right back, taking the next two games before Haddad Maia won five straight points. A neat volley at the net left Halep flatfooted and gave Haddad Maia her second game of the set.

An overhand smash at the net by Halep completed her own unblemished game for a 5-2 lead, whipping the fans at Toronto’s Sobeys Stadium into another chant of “See-moh-nah!”

Haddad Maia stayed in the match, winning another game. She made it 5-3 when her high backhanded volley dropped in for a point.

Holding a 40-15 advantage in the ninth game of the third set, Halep clinched her first title in Toronto when Haddad Maia put her return into the net.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 14, 2022.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Simona Halep wins third National Bank Open with victory over Beatriz Haddad Maia

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