That’s all from me today, but what a fun, physical first meeting that was between Halep and Andreescu. The youngster burst through and shone bright, but the veteran showed why she is where she is. Hopefully this is the first of many meetings between them.
I’ll be back tomorrow for Osaka-Barty and Kvitova-Bencic. Until then.
Updated
Simona Halep: It was a very tough match. I knew that she’s a great player and she's playing till the end without giving up. I had to fight. I’m a little bit dead but I have time tomorrow to recover. I’m really happy I finally won a match in the WTA Finals.
— Reem Abulleil (@ReemAbulleil) October 28, 2019
Andreescu 6-3 6-7(6) 3-6 Halep: Simona Halep snatches a brilliant win in a gripping match. Andreescu was sublime for the first set, showing her full blinding arsenal of shots but that match was a measure of how tough Halep is to beat when she wants to these days. Many players can hit through her for a set and a bit, but can you do it across three sets?
You have to hope that Andreescu’s back is okay. Despite losing, the set she won bodes well for the rest of the round robin tournament.
Updated
Final set: Andreescu 6-3 6-7(6) *3-5 Halep: Well, well, well. Simona Halep will serve for the victory. Andreescu looks completely spent and Halep is still grinding her down with every shot of every long rally. A wicked dipping crosscourt forehand passing shot from Halep at 30-30 before another long rally forced the break.
Final set: Andreescu 6-3 6-7(6) *3-4 Halep: Andreescu doesn’t need to look in great shape to win tennis matches though. Too many puffball second serves from Halep, and Andreescu is able to shorten the points. She finishes with a wicked crosscourt forehand return winner and here we are. Back on serve.
Final set: Andreescu 6-3 6-7(6) *2-4 Halep: Halep is doing some insane things on defence at the moment. At 15-15, she chases down a couple of sizzling Andreescu backhands, before snapping a backhand crosscourt winner of her own. Then she anticipates correctly on a backhand putaway from the Canadian and drills the passing shot crosscourt. She breaks with a solid defensive lob, with Andreescu dumping the smash into the net.
Andreescu doesn’t look good right now.
Final set: Andreescu 6-3 6-7(6) *2-3 Halep: Simona Halep recovers from 0-30 down to move up in the third set. A solid service game sealed with a great wrong-footing forehand winner.
Meanwhile, Andreescu has the trainer out again for her back. She certainly isn’t moving well at the moment.
Here is one such ridiculous shot from Andreescu.
🙌 another one! @Bandreescu_#WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/KKvUSytbBU
— WTA (@WTA) October 28, 2019
Final set: Andreescu 6-3 6-7(6) 2-2* Halep: It must be noted that Halep did indeed move forward… and she shanked the drive volley long on the second point of this game. However, Halep was solid enough to get the break by taking an Andreescu moonball early and crushing a forehand winner.
Weird play from Andreescu right now. She’s just going for everything and rolling through her vast arsenal without much thought. Some absolutely insane winners are coming from her racquet, but also plenty of errors.
Updated
Final set: Andreescu 6-3 6-7(6) *2-1 Halep: Again, we have seen Andreescu recover after looking down and out so frequently this year. Those errors from Halep have awoken the beast:
Andreescu snapped a breathtaking forehand return winner at full stretch from 0-15, then she pushed Halep back with moonballs before stepping in and snapping a forehand winner at 15-15. At 15-40, Andreescu hit a brilliant dropshot and did just enough with the forehand passing shot to take the game.
Darren Cahill is back on and he is practically begging Halep to move into the court and take on more drive volleys. We’ll see if she does.
Final set: Andreescu 6-3 6-7(6) 1-1* Halep: That was… unimpressive from Simona Halep. Andreescu was spraying errors to move down 15-30 and still looked extremely shaky, but Halep went for two low percentage shots at full stretch, spraying a forehand wide and then a backhand into the net. Andreescu holds.
Final set: Andreescu 6-3 6-7(6) *0-1 Halep: Andreescu looks quite weary and is trying to shorten points even more than earlier, but we’ve seen this many times before from Andreescu yet she has only lost 5 matches this year. Halep is more than happy to see more unforced errors and edges ahead.
Andreescu is taking a medical timeout for her back/hip now.
Loving this @Simona_Halep @Bandreescu_ match !!! Great points, great movement, super competitive & oh so dramatic !!! @WTA - Bea now has her shoes off!! Simo’s got blisters!!! This is awesome!! Oh wait now Bea has a back issue! Omg this is drama!!!
— Rennae Stubbs (@rennaestubbs) October 28, 2019
Second set tiebreak: Andreescu 6-3 6-7(6) Halep: Simona Halep saves a match point to force Andreescu to a third set! The level is sky-high here, with Halep’s defence just making the difference in the tiebreak. She retrieved so many defensive shots with quality and depth, and forced Andreescu into going for too much. The set ended with a wild second serve return from Andreescu. This has been an experience.
Updated
Second set tiebreak: Andreescu 6-3 6-6 (6-7*) Halep: Some absolutely immense defence from Simona Halep to build up a *6-4 lead, but she misses a bold down the line forehand at 6-4. Andreescu saves the second set point with a forehand volley winner. Another set point coming up for Halep though...
Second set tiebreak: Andreescu 6-3 6-6 (3-3) Halep: Halep suddenly looked like the calmer player, moving up 3-0 in the tiebreak. But with her back against the wall, Andreescu snapped a huge forehand winner and came right back for 3-3. This is so tight.
Second set: Andreescu 6-3 6-6 Halep: What a hold by Simona Halep! After immense pressure, copious dropshots and some brutal rallies won by the young Canadian, she brings up her first match point.
Halep saves the match point with some brilliant defence before immediately flipping to offence and forcing an error with a great backhand crosscourt. Shortly after, Halep snaps a gutsy backhand down the line winner told hold again. Bold.
Second set: Andreescu 6-3 6-5* Halep: An easy hold for Andreescu to pile the pressure back on the Romanian. She closed it off so impressively: she absolutely crushed a crosscourt forehand winner, then landed a delicate forehand dropshot as Halep braced herself far behind the baseline for another violent body blow, then closed with an unreturned first serve.
Second set: Andreescu 6-3 *5-5 Halep: Halep gets herself back on track at just the right time. Some great depth from Halep, who painted the baseline a couple of times and forced errors out of Andreescu. This is very tight.
Second set: Andreescu 6-3 5-4* Halep: Andreescu edges ahead and the Romanian will now serve to stay in the match. Wasteful from Halep, who twice had an easy short forehand to finish the point. She dumped the first into the net, then went straight back at Andreescu on the second, who rolled a backhand passing shot past her. Some solid serving from Andreescu and she is a game away.
😍 @Bandreescu_ pulling out the tweener#WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/xrsP060lwV
— WTA (@WTA) October 28, 2019
Andreescu breaks back for 6-3, 4-4. She's getting a small bleeding cut on her leg attended to in an MTO. So Halep gets a coaching visit from Darren Cahill in the meantime.
— Reem Abulleil (@ReemAbulleil) October 28, 2019
Cahill: Don't get down on yourself.
Halep: I'm not. I missed like a 100 times.
Second set: Andreescu 6-3 *4-4 Halep: Andreescu has a tendency to whack her shin with her racquet, and she has now drawn blood. But on-court, it was actually Halep who was bleeding errors in that game. Despite Cahill imploring her to attack her second serve ,it’s sitting up a little too much and Andreescu is taking advantage.
Medical timeout for Andreescu to address her shin. Cahill is back on: “Stay in there mentally and don’t get down on yourself.”
Second set: Andreescu 6-3 3-4* Halep: Andreescu pieces together a nice regulation hold, but a winning tweener at 30-0 stole the show. Rather than a bit of showboating, it seemed like Andreescu got a little tangled up, but when your hands are that good you can adjust.
Coach Darren Cahill is on court for Halep. He’s very happy with her getting Andreescu on the move and opening up the court. He tells her to keep on trying to push the Canadian back with her second serve. We’ll see if she can.
Second set: Andreescu 6-3 *2-4 Halep: This time, Simona Halep consolidates her break with a hold but that was tough. Halep moved up 40-0 and seemed to be coasting, but then Andreescu pieced together three great points, winning two long exchanges and snapping one great forehand return.
But once again it’s Halep’s serve that keeps her out of trouble. Two unreturned first serves from deuce givers the Romanian a hold.
Slick.
💪 @Simona_Halep on the line!#WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/0r9WRa3yqx
— WTA (@WTA) October 28, 2019
Second set: Andreescu 6-3 2-3* Halep: Simona Halep’s tenaciousness has been impressive so far in set two. She is not controlling a lot of the play out here, but she continues to land returns deep, keep her consistent level and force Andreescu to put the ball past her frequently. She couldn’t this time, hitting three unforced errors for Halep to move up a break once more.
Updated
Second set: Andreescu 6-3 *2-2 Halep: Andreescu’s weakness may be her concentration, but she is also so good at bouncing back. She gets the break back immediately. A slick angled drop volley at 0-30 from Andreescu, then she broke back with a stinging forehand crosscourt return.
Second set: Andreescu 6-3 1-2* Halep: Andreescu’s one weakness this year has been her tendency to lose concentration and go off the boil a little during matches. A series of errors from Andreescu, including a double fault at 15-30, and a solid Simona Halep is up a break in set two.
Second set: Andreescu 6-3 *1-1 Halep: You won’t see another service game like that from Simona Halep for a long, long time. The diminutive Romanian just held with two straight aces. She will take that every day of the week.
Updated
Second set: Andreescu 6-3 1-0* Halep: Absolutely no let-up from Andreescu to start the second set. Halep spent a lot of time trying to break down the Canadian’s backhand, but Andreescu is so good at throwing in a loopy ball or a slice and finding a big forehand again. Let’s see if she can sustain this level.
First set: Andreescu 6-3 Halep: That was quite an incredible set of tennis from Bianca Andreescu, who was absolutely dominant aside from one two-game stretch of excellence from the Romanian. Andreescu has dominated the exchanges, both by being the aggressor and constantly changing the pace. She’s throwing in loopy high balls, drop shots, you name it. Halep isn’t playing badly at all but she hasn’t been able to stay with the Canadian.
First set: Andreescu 5-3* Halep: Andreescu throws down another love hold, this time sealed with an ace. Cahill suggested taking on her backhand down the line and going after the early balls a little more, but it’s so tough when Andreescu is putting her under this much pressure.
Meanwhile, Coach Darren Cahill is back on-court with Halep. He was due to officially join her team again in the new season after taking a break this year, but clearly they just couldn’t wait.
He’s back! #WTAFinals pic.twitter.com/yZT97JHyJg
— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) October 28, 2019
First set: Andreescu *4-3 Halep: The one constant so far has been Andreescu relentlessly attacking the Halep second serve. But after wasting two more break points, Andreescu mixes in a few slices and forces an error to break again.
First set: Andreescu 3-3* Halep: No problems for Andreescu after losing two games in a row. She absolutely crushed a few forehands, landed some first serves and held to love.
First set: Andreescu *2-3 Halep: Both women are starting to thrive now and the rallies are tough. Andreescu absolutely obliterated a couple of Halep’s serves to bring up 0-40, then Halep erased the danger with some quality counterpunching. Incredible work from Halep at deuce - she soaked up a series of big forehands, retrieved an Andreescu overhead and then immediately flipped the point, finishing with a forehand winner.
Updated
First set: Andreescu 2-2* Halep: Well, it appears that Simona Halep has arrived. Some tough rallies end with Halep passing Andreescu at the net twice. First she easily retrieved an Andreescu dropshot, then held her ground and redirected a big Andreescu forehand past the Canadian at the net. High quality stuff.
First set: Andreescu *2-1 Halep: Andreescu snatches the first break and she is already looking so sharp. Unsurprisingly, it’s the Canadian who is controlling most of these points early on and dictating the pace of the rallies. She hits a brilliant winning dropshot and then crushed a great inside-out forehand winner at 30-30. Halep isn’t dealing with her weight of shot well so far.
First set: Andreescu 1-1* Halep: Andreescu levels up immediately, holding to 15. A couple of huge forehands from Andreescu, who is already serving big.
Updated
First set: Andreescu *0-1 Halep: As expected, Andreescu us already showing off her variety. She opened the match by narrowly missing a volley the net, then slipped in a slick drop shot winner. Despite being pushed to deuce, Halep rallies out a deuce game to get her first hold.
Updated
How will this match be won?
Good question. The most striking part of Andreescu’s rise has been her style of play. She already possesses one of the biggest forehands in the world, she moves well, she returns extremely well and she can be really aggressive. But it’s her variety that has really set her apart she’ll throw in dropshots, loopy balls, net forays and she’ll try to break Halep’s rhythm
Halep will have to soak up all of that pace and variety and she may look to move Andreescu with her angles. But this will be their first ever match-up so it will be fascinating to see how they try to outmanoeuvre and outthink each other.
If Andreescu’s surname didn’t make it clear, the most notable aspect of this match-up is that Andreescu’s parents are Romanian. She spent some of her youth in Romania, speaks the language and proudly represents both parts of her heritage. Naturally, she considers Halep her idol.
When Andreescu was younger, she spoke with Halep in Romanian, who gave her some advice that she has never forgotten. It is a conversation that Halep has had to recount many times this year:
“Yeah, I just told her that she has to stop juniors because she’s strong enough to make the step,” said Halep
“It’s amazing what she has done. To win a Grand Slam at 19, play few tournaments and win them, it’s a great, great job. I just want to tell her that she deserved because she played really well these tournaments.”
Updated
Preamble
Hello! Welcome to our coverage on day two of the WTA Finals in Shenzhen. The best eight players in 2019 will be battling throughout the week, and there are few better prospects than this upcoming battle between Bianca Andreescu and Simona Halep.
No 4 Andreescu has been the sensation at the top of the game in 2019, breaking through in March with her title at Indian Wells as a wildcard, then stamping her spot at the top of the game when Angelique Keber infamously called her “the biggest drama queen ever”. After struggling with a bad shoulder injury, she only played one match the following four months. Upon her return, she immediately win the Rogers Cup at home in Canada before winning her first grand slam title at the US Open. Her win-loss record is an astounding 48-5.
On the other hand, No 5 Simona Halep has been here before. This is her sixth(!) straight appearance at the WTA finals in 2014 and she has been by far the most consistent player in this period. This year she backed up last year’s cathartic, long awaited Roland Garros title by beating Serena Williams to win the Wimbledon title on her ‘worst’ surface. However, she has been struggling with a back injury recently. We’ll see if she’s up to it.
This should be a good one, so please feel free to drop an email tumaini.carayol@theguardian.com or tweet me at @tumcarayol.
Updated
