Simona Halep wins Prague Open title

Romanian tennis star, Simona Halep won the 2020 Prague Open title after recording a straight-sets win over Elise Mertens on Sunday (August 16).

The world number two, who won the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in February before the WTA Tour’s suspension for the coronavirus pandemic, sealed a 6-2 7-5 in brisk fashion.

Mertens started strongly and won the first two games in the opening set, but Halep stirred from hibernation and won the next six games to take the set emphatically.

When Halep continued her streak by breaking in the first game of the second set, the writing appeared to be on the wall for Mertens. But the Belgian, chasing a sixth singles title, hit back immediately to keep her hopes alive.

Ultimately, however, the class of two-time grand slam winner Halep told and the Romanian will soon have to confirm whether she will seek to cash in on this form by competing at the US Open, which has suffered from a spate of withdrawals over COVID-19 fears.