VIDEO: Halep battles past Rybakina, lifts 20th career title in Dubai

No.1 seed Simona Halep was forced to the brink, but battled to a hard-earned second Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title, as the Romanian fought back from a set down to overcome rising Kazakh Elena Rybakina, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(5) in Saturday night’s classic final.

Reigning Wimbledon champion Halep, who also hoisted the Dubai trophy in 2015, stormed back from a break down at 3-1 in the final set to clinch her 20th career WTA singles title after nearly two-and-a-half hours of unpredictable play.

World No.2 Halep notched her first title of the season as she approaches her 318th consecutive week in the Top 10 -- the tenth-longest streak in WTA history. She also earned redemption from her only previous meeting with Rybakina, where the Romanian was forced to retire in the first set of their 2019 Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open encounter due to a lower back injury.

With her 20th title, Halep has drawn level with Victoria Azarenka in sixth place on the list of active title winners (behind Serena and Venus Williams, Kim Clijsters, Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova).

Despite the loss, Rybakina, who was in her fourth final out of five events this season, will continue to move up the rankings, as she is projected to reach No.17 on Monday’s new rankings, up two spots from her current career-high position of No.19.

After a tight first game, the nerveless power of Rybakina allowed her to edge ahead as the first set took shape. Halep found herself in danger on serve in the second game of the match, having to save a break point, though the Romanian got herself out of trouble on that occasion.

However, at 3-2, Halep let a 40-15 lead slip away as exceptional returning by the Kazakh pulled to another break point. In that instance, Rybakina was ceded the break after a long forehand miscue by Halep, as the unseeded player took a crucial 4-2 lead. The Kazakh was not overwhelmed by her first big advantage, using strong serving to move ahead 5-2.

READ MORE

Serena has lost intimidation factor says Halep

Halep hopes dream Wimbledon run can end US Open nightmare

Serena again tops Forbes list of highest-paid sports women

After holding at love for 5-3, Halep finally had chances on the Rybakina serve, withstanding two set points before clutching two break points. However, Rybakina calmly batted those break points away with an ace and an error-forcing winner, and claimed a third set point after a wide return by Halep. There, another wide return by the top seed gave Rybakina a stirring one-set lead.

Halep, though, was undaunted, and after erasing a break point in the first game of the second set, the Romanian crept ahead. Halep fired a forehand winner for triple break point at 2-1, and after a forehand miscue by the Kazakh followed, the former champion had earned her first break of the night and a 3-1 lead. An ace helped the top seed close out another game and a sturdy 4-1 lead.

Rybakina, however, would keep working for a straight-set win, staving off two break points to hold for 4-2, then getting back on serve at 4-3 after an error-laden game from Halep. Despite that stumble, Halep took command in the set once more, converting her fourth break point of a massive game filled with grueling rallies to slide ahead 5-3.

Serving to level the match, Halep found a much-needed ace at 30-30, giving herself a set point. There, a rally forehand forced an error from Rybakina, and the combatants were deadlocked at one set apiece.

Rybakina, though, clutched the upper hand early in the decider, gritting out a tough service hold for 2-1, then earning a break point in the next game with a huge return off of a Halep second serve. Halep was pressured into a double fault in the next point, and Rybakina was leading by a break at 3-1 in the final set.

Errors by the Kazakh in the very next game gave Halep the break back immediately, though, and the Romanian kept herself on serve until she was able to break Rybakina once more, forcing errors with outstanding defense for a 6-5 lead.

Meanwhile, Hsieh Su-Wei and Barbora Strycova defended their doubles title by overcoming Barbora Krejcikova and Zheng Saisai, 7-5, 3-6, [10-5] in the final. The No.1 seeds had stormed through the draw without the loss of a single set to this point, sealing their second title of the year after winning in Brisbane, but were unable to repeat their feat of 12 months ago by going the entire week unblemished.