It’s about the number one and a Grand Slam title debut: When the top seeded Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki meet on Saturday (9.30 a. m. in the LIVETICKER) in the Australian Open finale, emotions are inevitable on both sides.
From Ulrike Weinrich from Melbourne
Angelique Kerber knows exactly what it will feel like for the protagonists of the showdown in Melbourne Park. She knows these moments when the pressure increases immensely – and the line between triumph and tragedy threatens to become narrower with every rally “Both will be very nervous. But it’s going to be an interesting match,”predicted the Kieler with a view to the women’s final on Saturday between top seeded Simona Halep from Romania and the Danish Caroline Wozniacki, the number two in the world ranking.
It is a special finals, one “with a cool storyline”as described by the world leader Wozniacki. And one, after the end of which there will definitely be a special happy ending for one of them. According to the motto:”All good things come in threes – so to speak. After all, both the experienced “Caro”, who has been on tour since 2006, and the industry leader “Simo”, who took down Kerber in a memorable semi-final on Thursday, have lost their first two major finals. Wozniacki 2009 and 2014 at the US Open, Halep 2014 and 2017 at the French Open, whereby last year’s final match against Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia) saw the 26-year-old with set and break in front.
The longing for the debut coup on the big stage is enormous with Halep and Wozniacki. Halep admitted that it would “honestly mean much more to her,”being a major champion than number one in the tennis universe. The “cool storyline” of the final, as the Danish player calls it, also means that the winner of the Australian Open 2018 will be seated on the tennis throne next Monday.
For WTA World Champion Wozniacki it would be a comeback at the top of the ranking – after six years. A period of time in which the daughter of a former professional footballer and a former volleyball national player had to cope with a number of shocks on and off the court.
The pictures of the sad Wozniacki, who wanted to marry the golf star Rory McIlroy in 2014, are still well remembered. The invitations were sent out, the New York location was booked for the party lasting several days, but the Nordire ended the relationship abruptly in a seven-minute telephone conversation with Wozniacki.
In this crisis, Serena Williams of all people jumped to her side, distracting her girlfriend with joint excursions and a popcorn binge. Almost four years later “Caro” also found her private happiness. She is engaged to former NBA basketball player David Lee (San Antonio Spurs), who rarely leaves her side in Melbourne Park,”He can give me valuable tips because he was a professional athlete himself,”Wozniacki said.
The Romanian folk heroine Halep had to fight off a total of five match points (two in the semi-finals against Kerber and three in the third round against Lauren Davis/USA). Wozniacki was on the brink of defeat in the second round against Croatian Jana Fett, when she faced two match balls in the decisive round at a score of 1:5 “I somehow managed it. And from that moment on, everything here was a bonus for me,”she said.
The most beautiful reward for the hobby model, however, would be the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, which, in addition to the winner’s cheque, is worth around 2.6 million euros. In the Open Era, it is the first time that two women players who had to fight off match points on their way to the final match match balls.
In the Rod Laver Arena Halep can be sure of the support of the audience on the day after Australia Day. Her coach Darren Cahill comes from the fifth continent,”I like the relaxed Australian style. I’ve always been a little too negative in the past. It’s gotten better, but I still have to work on myself,”said the right-hander from Constanta, who fought 50 winners in a 2:20 hour nerve fight against Kerber:”Twice I thought I can’t do it anymore. The time after the Australian Open “Simo” has planned the time after the Australian Open independently of the final:”I’m going on vacation for the time being” Maybe with her first major cup in her luggage.