Romania’s tennis ace Simona Halep was one match win away from the number 1 position in the WTA ranking of best women's tennis players in the world, but she once again missed the chance after losing the Cincinnati Western & Southern Open final to Spanish Garbine Muguruza.

Muguruza defeated Halep 6-1, 6-0 in the match organized on Sunday, August 20.

"She played really well, first of all, and she was hitting very strong, and after a few games I got down with the confidence," Simona Halep said after the match, reports Wtatennis.com. "I tried to hit the ball and couldn't much, then I tried to go back a little bit and was not good. I don't really know what I had to do, and I think she was just too good today."

Halep had previously been very close to becoming the first Romanian to reach the No.1 position, but lost the Wimbledon quarterfinal match to Britain’s Johanna Konta in July.

Simona Halep is still second in the WTA singles ranking, being only five points behind world No.1 Karolina Pliskova. Garbine Muguruza is now on the third place, followed by Elina Svitolina and Caroline Wozniacki.

Romania has three other players in the top 100, namely Sorana Cirstea – 53rd, Irina-Camelia Begu – 57th, and Monica Niculescu – 58th.

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Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Western & Southern Open on Facebook)