Belgium’s Elise Mertens rallied from a set down to beat top seed Simona Halep 3-6 6-4 6-3 and clinch her first Premier-level title at the Qatar Open on Saturday. After both players dropped their opening service game, Halep took control of the encounter by winning 18 consecutive points from 3-3 to clinch the first set. AdvertisingWorld number three Halep grabbed an early break in the second set but Mertens responded immediately to get the match back on serve. With momentum firmly on her side, Mertens claimed a crucial early break in the deciding set and went on to hold off a late Halep surge to win her fifth WTA title. Advertising“Honestly, I wanted to lift this beautiful trophy but Elise deserved it very much,” said Halep, who won the Doha title in 2014.

Source: Indian Express February 17, 2019 03:00 UTC