Romanian tennis star Simona Halep, the world’s second best player according to the WTA rankings, did not have an easy match against Germany’s Sabine Lisicki in the fourth round of the US Open.

Halep and number 23 WTA Lisicki managed to annihilate each other in the first set, each making a lot of mistakes on their own service and conceding important points. Lisicki seemed to have the edge in the first part of the set, but Halep came back in what seemed to be the right moment and took the lead to serve for the set. However, she lost the chance to close the set at 5-4 and Lisicki was fast to capitalize on her frustration and win the set at tiebreak: 6-7.

It seemed to be the end of Halep, who also asked for the physician to look after a thigh injury during the break before the second set. The second set started in the same manner, each player conceding the service. Lisicki played more aggressively, but also made more mistakes. Although Halep managed to win her serve and take the lead at 3-2 and then double it at 4-2 on Lisicki’s service, the German kept close, always looking that she could come back and win the set and the match. Still, with a bit of luck, Halep managed to win the set 7-5 and take the match to the decisive round.

After a ten-minute break, both players came on the court more determined. Halep won her service with an ace, but Lisicki fought back with a game won a shutout game making it 1-1. The long match (over 2.5 hours), however, made its mark on the two players, and Lisicki was the first to break, suffering muscle cramps. It was all that Halep needed to regain her usual composure and to take control of the set. She won it 6-2 and made into the US Open quarter-finals for the first time in her career.

Halep will meet Belarussian Victoria Azarenka, number 20 WTA, in her next match.

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editor@romania-insider.com