Halep to play in her second Cincinnati final

.@Simona_Halep ONE win away from World No.1--> https://t.co/jW3td6oCr0 pic.twitter.com/4aqe8BMpWL

— WTA (@WTA) August 19, 2017

Simona Halep, seeded number 2 at the Western & Southern Open, easily advanced to the final this evening when she defeated wild card Sloane Stephens 6-2, 6-1. Halep said that yesterday's quarterfinal match against Jo Konta had given her confidence, and that she was "feeling the court" from the  moment she stepped onto it today.

Halep reached the final in 2015 and lost to then-world number 1 Serena Williams. Last year, she made it to the semifinals, and was defeated by Angelique Kerber. Kerber, who would soon win the U.S. Open and become number 1 in the world, lost the 2016 final to Karolina Pliskova, the current number 1. Pliskova lost today to Garbine Muguruza. If Halep wins the Cincinnati final, she becomes number 1 in the world.

So maybe set that to music.

Halep has her eye on that number 1 spot, though she stated in her press conference today that winning a major is still her main goal. But, regarding the number 1 ranking, she said: "I am so close, I really want it."