WTA Preview: Simona Halep or Belinda Bencic?

Aug 15, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Belinda Bencic of Switzerland celebrates after winning her semi final match against Serena Williams of the USA during the Rogers Cup tennis tournament at the Aviva Centre. Belinda Bencic won 3-6 7-5 6-4. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

Simona Halep or Belinda Bencic: Who Will Complete A Fairytale Week In Toronto?

Well, who expected these two to make the Toronto final?

Contesting the Toronto final today will be surprise packages (well, sort of) Simona Halep and Belinda Bencic. Almost no one foresaw that these two would have such impressive runs in Canada. But it’s impossible to dispute that either player doesn’t deserve their spot in the Sunday match, given the brutal draws both women were forced to endure.

Simona Halep’s Journey To The Final

Simona Halep’s path to the final consisted of former world no. 1 Jelena Jankovic, red-hot Stanford champion Angelique Kerber, defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska and Sara Errani. Playing four counterpunchers who love to engage in extended rallies has done the world of good for the Romanian, as she’s had time to accrue some rhythm and match play after a two month break from the sport. In particular, Halep’s clutch victories over Kerber and Aga have given her some much needed confidence heading into the next few weeks.

And it was her revived confidence that helped Halep over the line in her semifinal match against Errani. The Italian was typically tenacious, but was no match for Halep’s ability to step up her game on important points. The match was decided by a handful of points, per the final score of 6-4, 6-4. As stellar as her game was in the match, it was her mental fortitude that really helped her snatch victory.

Even still, it’s hard to deny that Halep is back and close to the form that won her three titles in the beginning of 2015 and a 24-3 hard court record.

However, the downside of playing four human walls is the physical toll that it has taken on Halep’s body. After her match against Errani, Halep said that she was incredibly tired – not surprising, given rallies like this.

Belinda Bencic’s Run To The Final

As impressive as Halep’s run has been, Bencic’s journey may just eclipse it given the calibre of opponents she has faced. Her path consisted of Eugenie Bouchard, an injured Caroline Wozniacki, Sabine Lisicki, former champ Ana Ivanovic and world number one Serena Williams.

The first four wins were great, but the match that every tennis fan is talking about right now is Serena vs Bencic. Admittedly, Serena wasn’t great. She struck 12 double faults and her unforced error count was off the charts. But credit must be given to the Swiss. After two top-ten wins this week and victories over two Wimbledon finalists, many would have expected Bencic to have no mental or physical strength left to take down the numero uno.

That makes her win all the more staggering. After Bencic fell 6-3, 3-3, it appeared that Serena was on her way to a fifth final for the year. And although Bencic broke in the second set to go up 5-3, Serena managed to break back and foster three break points to serve for the match. The Swiss managed to hold on to her serve with some gutsy groundstrokes and then broke Serena to take the second set.

A common feature of ‘Serena vs Young Star’ matches is that whenever young players come close to victory against the WTA titan, they crumble under the pressure of closing out the match. And it seemed that this trait would be maintained by Bencic. Going up a 5-1 lead in the third set, Bencic then allowed Serena to fight back to 5-4.

Bencic’s mental superiority and confidence shone through at this point, as she broke Serena to claim the match. Covering her face in disbelief and letting tears flow, Bencic was greeted to fireworks and raucous applause. Even Serena had to smile at the exuberant and joyous reception for the eighteen year-old. Sidenote: if you haven’t seen the five or so minutes after the match, seek out some footage online because it’s just awesome viewing!

For an 18-year-old, it was simply a remarkable performance: one that suggests Bencic belongs at the top of the game, and one that will push her further toward the top ten.

Like Halep, the youngster will surely be exhausted after taking out five stars of the WTA. She will also have to recover mentally after such a big win in the semifinals.

Who Will Win?

Both women have similar games, which should make for a prolonged match. They are both excellent defenders (although Halep transcends Bencic in this area) and have outstanding backhands. On the other hand, their serves are solid, but nothing to write home about, and their forehands can break down. Neither player will be able to hit the other off the court, so it will be pivotal for both to reduce their error counts and go for their shots when the opportunity presents itself.

Halep leads their head-to-head 1-0. She claimed a straight sets victory last year at Wimbledon. However, Bencic is a much higher calibre player now than she was last year.

A key factor will be how each player holds up after their tough draws. Halep may be lethargic and incapable of retrieving as well as she usually does, especially if the match goes to three sets. Meanwhile, Bencic may still be caught up in the joy of her semifinal win over Serena.

This is also Bencic’s first Premier 5 final, whereas Halep has already claimed two titles at this level in Doha and Dubai. The occasion may overwhelm her. Having said that, Bencic did win a Premier tournament in Eastbourne a few months ago. And anyone who can defeat Serena Williams obviously isn’t dumbfounded easily.

It’s also impossible to ignore Halep’s recent record in tournament finals. In the past three years, the Romanian was able to steal titles on 11 of 14 occasions, with her only losses coming to Serena and Maria Sharapova.

This really is a toss-up. Both women are in great form in the moment. Halep is probably a bit more reliable to turn up in the final, and if Bencic isn’t at her absolute best Halep should take this in two sets. However, I can imagine this being a long, arduous match, in which case I would favour younger, less battled Bencic.

Ultimately, the Swiss will use the experience of defeating Serena to grind out victory against Simona in a tight three set clash. In doing so, she will claim a world ranking of no. 12 and announce herself as a future top ten player.

Prediction: Belinda Bencic d. Simona Halep in 3 sets.

Who Will Win: Simona Halep or Belinda Bencic?

Will Bencic conclude a fairytale week with her fourth top-six win (!!) in Toronto? Or will Simona Halep announce her return to the top with the ultimate exclamation point? Tell us in the comments below!

Next: Can Eugenie Bouchard Revive Her Season?

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