Garbine Muguruza Stuns Simona Halep in Straight Sets to Reach Australian Open 2020 Final

Garbine Muguruza has reached the final of the 2020 Australian Open after a straight sets victory over Simona Halep. Muguruza won the match 7-6(8) 7-5 and will now face Sofia Kenin of America for the Australian Open 2020 title.

A Tight First Set

Halep started the match well, holding her serve emphatically. Muguruza survived a score on her very first serve but managed to hold. A series of holds brought the first set to 3-3. Muguruza broke Halep’s serve at 3-3 with a backhand winner to draw first blood. Serving at 5-4 and with a break up, Muguruza was unable to see the set out. 

Halep was down 3-5, but she showed some great determination to win the next three games. At 6-5, Halep gave herself two set points too, but an aggressive Muguruza managed to hold on and force a tie-break. The tie-break was something of a roller-coaster. Muguruza was not afraid to take the ball on and lead 3-0 only for Halep to fight back and get a mini-break of her own at 4-3. 

The roller coaster continued as Muguruza won the next three points to give herself two set points at 6-3. The three-point trend continued as Halep won the next three to get the opportunity to win the set leading at 7-6. An engaging 20-shot rally saw Muguruza save the set point. The Spaniard went on to win the tie-break 10-8 and take the opening set.

Halep registered decent numbers in the first set with 69% of first serves and winning 72% of them. Muguruza managed 55% of her first serves, winning 75% of her first serve points. The Spaniard displayed some clean hitting as well despite the 29 unforced errors.

Timely Aggression by Garbine Muguruza

Muguruza looked determined to come out firing in the second set as she gave herself two break points on Halep’s first service game, but Halep held her nerve to hold on. The Spaniard was broken by Halep in the third game, however, Muguruza hit back immediately to go level at 2-2.

Halep was pushing for a break as she turned the heat on Muguruza and managed to break once again to go 3-2 up. The Romanian survived a scare on her own serve and held on after a tight game. Muguruza had her chances to break soon after, but a slew of errors denied her the break back.

Muguruza started looking a bit frayed at this point and it started to look increasingly like Halep would force a deciding set. The resurgent Muguruza, though, channeled her aggression, playing some bold and attacking tennis. She broke Halep at the last opportunity and leveled the set at 5-5. The physically-taxing conditions seemed to favour Halep and Muguruza looked desperate to finish the match in two sets. The Romanian was also the fresher of the two players, not having dropped a single set till today.

At 6-5, Muguruza came out all guns blazing, trying to attack every ball. Her courage paid dividends as she managed to break Halep one last time to take the set and match.

Muguruza will face Sofia Kenin in the final of the Australian Open on Saturday. She will fight for the third Grand Slam title of her career.