Quarterfinal. Halep def Görges

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[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-microphone”] Match Recap from Announcer Andy Taylor, Voice of the Qatar Total Open

Simona Halep advances to her 3rd Doha Semifinal

Now that took effort, thanks to inspired play from Germany’s Julia Görges. After losing the first four games of the match, Julia upped the intensity of her return game. She had no choice. The strategy was simple: Go for it, or go home. And it was effective.

Halep forced Görges to play her best tennis, and she delivered. It rattled the World #3, who gave up a late break in set-1 behind a double fault. Luckily for Halep, it was Julia’s turn to get the yips in the tiebreak.

In the second, Görges took an early lead. But – down 4-5, with Julia serving for the set – Halep broke back at love, then saved 2 set-points in the tiebreak to earn the win. Another fantastic Quarterfinal during a disappointing week of 23 player withdrawals. By all appearances, we will make-up for this year’s mass exodus with thrilling matches the rest of the way.

Last year, a toe-injury forced Simona Halep to bail after a Quarterfinal win over Cici Bellis. In 2014, she won her first Premier-5 title on this court. After tonight’s clash – mentally and physically, she’s poised to reunite with Doha’s famous falcon come Saturday.

Head to Head: 3rd meeting between these two players

• 2019 Doha QF | [1] Simona Halep -03- (ROU) def [9] Julia Görges -16- (GER) | 76(1) 76(6)
• 2016 Miami R3 | [5] Simona Halep -05- (ROU) def Julia Görges -66- (GER) | 64 61
• 2014 Madrid R1 | [4] Simona Halep -05- (ROU) def [Q] Julia Görges -99- (GER) | 62 60

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[1] Simona Halep -03- (ROU) | Quarterfinal Announcer Introduction

Over the weekend, she and her Fed Cup Teammates…delivered a huge victory. Taking on 11-time Fed Cup Champions, the Czech Republic in Ostrava – she won both of her singles matches – including a win over World #5 Karolina Pliskova – and helped lift Romania to the Fed Cup World Group Semifinals for the first time since 1973. She is the reigning French Open Champion, is a 4-time Grand Slam Finalist, owns 18 WTA Singles titles, and has held the World #1 ranking for a remarkable 64-weeks. Five-years-ago on this court, she came into Doha as the World #10 and defeated 3 fellow top-10 opponents to capture the title. Back in Doha for the 6th time – From Romania, please welcome 2014 Qatar Total Open Champion, Simona Halep.

• QF — W | [9] Julia Görges -16- (GER) | Score: 7-6(1), 7-6(6)
• R2 — W | Lesia Tsurenko -24- (UKR) | Score: 6-2, 6-3 | RECAP
• R1 — BYE

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[9] Julia Görges -16- (GER) | Quarterfinal Announcer Introduction

The #9-seed at this year’s Qatar Total Open, 12-years-ago – in 2007 – she made her Doha debut as an 18-year-old Qualifying Wild Card. At the time, she was ranked outside the top-400 – won all of her qualifying matches – and earned her first WTA main-draw victory to reach the 2nd-Round. 11-years later – Last February, she came into Doha as a top-10 player for the first time, made a run to the Quarters – then went on to reach her first Major Semifinal at Wimbledon, and climbed to a career-high ranking of World #9. This year, she started the season by defending her title in Auckland, and now owns 7 WTA Singles titles overall. From Germany, please welcome the #16 Player in the World, Julia Görges.

• QF — L | [1] Simona Halep -03- (ROU) | Score: 6-7(1), 6-7(6)
• R2 — W | ^ [LL] Alison Riske -52- (USA) | Score: 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-4 | RECAP
• R1 — W | [Q] Ajla Tomljanovic -41- (AUS) | Score: 6-2, 6-2 | RECAP

^ Withdrawal: [8] Ashleigh Barty -13- (AUS)