Kiki "Top 10 Killer" Bertens defeats world number 1 Halep to win Cincinnati title

photo by Daniel Ward

Today in Cincinnati, Kiki Bertens saved a match point in the second set tiebreak of the championship singles match, then went on to defeat world number 1 Simona Halep in three sets, 2-6, 7-6 (6), 6-2. Bertens emerged with first and second serve win percentages of 72 and 54, and she hit 34 winners.

Simona Halep (photo by Daniel Ward)

Halep got off to a strong start, breaking her opponent twice and taking the first set easily. The second set was more competitive, and it was thrilling toward the end when Bertens took it to a tiebreak. Halep held a match point at 6-5, but Bertens--going for everything--hit a stunning crosscourt forehand that Halep hit wide. It was the only match point that Halep would see.

By the third set, the world number 1--who had arrived in Cincinnati immediately after winning the Rogers Cup in Montreal--was just about out of fuel. The match was physically draining, and Bertens was able to move her around and sap the last drops of energy from her.

Kiki Bertens (photo by Daniel Ward)

Afterwards, Bertens said that, at 2-1 in the third set, she felt like she had run out of energy. "I was, like, 'I'm dead.' Then I said to myself, 'No, I can do this. Let's go for it.'"

photo by Daniel Ward

Bertens, for some time, has been known as a clay court specialist, but that designation has gone out the window this year. She did win on the clay in Charleston, which was her first premier tournament victory. Then she went all the way to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. And now, she has won her first hard court tournament ever--a premier 5 event.

Medical science may have to come up with a vaccine to inoculate the WTA's top 10 players because Kiki Bertens is coming to get them. She had already beaten nine of them this season when she arrived in Cincinnati, and now she's beaten the world number 1.

On Monday, Bertens will rise to a career-high ranking of number 13 in the world.