Australian Open: Wozniacki vs. Halep: The battle for the number one spot

Caroline Wozniacki and Simona Halep will be fighting for the Australian Open title in the final – and there’s more to it than that.

It is the women’s final at the Australian Open. Number one in the world is playing against number two. Simona Halep versus Caroline Wozniacki – and that’s not all: It’s about the crown in world tennis. If Halep wins the final, she will remain at the top, Wozniacki could return to the sunshine with a triumph.

At the turn of the year 2010/11, the Danish woman already held the top position. The 27-year-old defended her top spot for 67 weeks and finished 2011 as number one of the women. And that’s where Wozniacki wants to go again – with her first Grand Slam title. Yes, the part-time model was the world’s number one model for over a year and has not yet won a major victory. In 2016, Wozniacki was back at the top of the world and is now in Melbourne for the first time in the final.

In 2011, she reached the semi-finals, which she lost to Li Na. Now there is more to the powerhouse than that. Since her arrival on the tour, Wozniacki has been considered a highly talented and top player. The very big title has been denied to her until now. With the WTA finals triumph last year, Wozniacki advanced further to strike now. The time seems ripe for the big coup.

On the other side, however, there is also a candidate for her first title with a major. Halep is also number one without the big title. At the French Open 2017, Latvian Jelena Ostapenko prevented Halep’s first strike. The Romanian has been at the top of the ranking list since October and has impressively demonstrated her favourite form during the Down Under tournament. The 26-year-old played herself from round to round in a better form and reached her high point in the semi-final against Angelique Kerber.

Halep fought relentlessly on the baseline around every ball and fought off four match balls in the course of the tournament. Against Kerber, Halep showed herself from her new side – the number one side. Coach Darren Cahill’s protégé acts with great commitment and demonstrates a self-conception for the success that every opponent has to deal with. She will now also need it to defend her rank in the final.

If you compare the two players, one thing becomes clear: This will be a very close match. Halep and Wozniacki feel comfortable on the defensive and counter with great blows from the greatest trouble. Physically, both are at the top level. A tennis treat with a lot of potential for the highlight match.