Halep, Unhappy with Scheduling, Reaches Fourth Straight Rogers Cup Semi, Stephens, Svitolina, Barty Also Advance
(August 10, 2018) No. 1 Simona Halep now has a WTA Tour leading 40th win of the year. The Roland Garros champion defeated sixth seed Caroline Garcia 7-5, 6-1 to reach the final four at the Rogers Cup for her fourth straight year. The Romanian is now 40-7 on the year.
“The first set was really tough,” said Halep. “I was down 5-4. I just didn’t give up at all in the first set. After I took it, I felt more confident. I felt that I’m moving better, I’m playing better, stronger. She went a little bit down with energy after she lost that set.
“Just I think I was stronger in the second set.”
The No. 1 player admitted that she was tired. She had played two matches on Thursday, due to the rain on Wednesday night.
“Definitely not good. Because if you look at the schedule, I think I’m the only one person and player who has the worst schedule during the week. I think this happens almost every tournament.
“I saw that tomorrow I play at 1:00. So I think WTA is a little bit upset with me because they always try to put me down, I can say, in the schedule. And I’m very upset about this.
“Tomorrow I’m going to go on court and I will try to give my best. I have nothing to lose. It’s a semifinal. So I just go there and I try to play.”
“My opponent has already six hours at the hotel resting, and I just finished the match and I’m doing now these things,” Halep added. “I’ll be very late again. Yesterday I played two matches.
“I feel like today I should have played second match in the night, and also tomorrow at 6, not at 1. This is my opinion, and I think I’m right.”
“I don’t talk these things with the other players because is just about me. I talk to my team about this. All of them are upset.
“I never complained about the schedule. As you know me since many years already, I never complain about anything. But today was enough.”
Halep will face-off against Asheleigh Barty. Barty, the 15th seed defeated Kiki Bertens 6-3, 6-1. This is the fourth semifinal the Australian has reached this season. She says that her play has been steady and consistent.
“I think it’s been really consistent,” she said to media. “That was kind of the goal for me, was to keep that consistency, a good level of tennis to, you know, cement my spot in the top 20. I feel like I’ve done that pretty well this year.
“Haven’t had too many tournaments where it’s been really disappointing. Yes, there are matches that I would love to have back. There are moments that I would love to have back. We learn from those. We move on. Most of the time we come out better for it in the end.”
The other Semifinal will match American, No. 3 Sloane Stephens against Elina Svitolina. During the day session, Stephens defeated Anastasija Sevastova 6-2, 6-2.
“I thought I played well today,” Stephens said.” Good conditions. I mean, I don’t know. Just thought I played well.
“She didn’t play bad. Just sometimes days like that that are lopsided.”
“I’ve been playing well and it’s a good start here to the US Open Series,” said Stephens on court post match. “I’m happy to be back in North America and playing on hard courts, and I’m hoping for some more good results. I’ve gotten through some tough moments, had some mental lapses, but I recovered well. I’m happy to be playing good tennis and get better throughout the tournament.”
Defending champion Elina Svitolina rallied from 0-4 down in the opening set to beat Elise Mertens 7-5, 6-3.
“I think she started pretty well,” said the Ukrainian. “She was striking the ball and everything was going in for her. I just had to accept and move from there.
“I was just trying to stay longer in that set. I think it really helped me to get back my rhythm, and then I was just going more and more for my shots. I think this was the key.”
As for playing Sloane Stephens, whom his has not played since 200 : “It’s going to be exciting. She came back. You know, she’s playing great since. Yeah, it’s going to be another tough semifinal match. I’m just very happy the way I was playing today. I’m happy to be again in semifinal Rogers Cup. It’s something that I’m very positive.”
More to follow…
