Simona Halep was ranked No. 1 before the French Open, now she has the chance to prove that she deserves it. The two-time runner up at Roland Garros will try to capture her first Grand Slam event on Sunday, when she faces American Sloane Stephens for the title. The will be the first time since 2001 that a US player other than Venus or Serena Williams has made it to the French Open finals.
The Romanian is a 4/9 favorite to defeat Stephens, who is 7/2 to pull off the upset. The two have never met in the finals of a Grand Slam event. They have played each other on seven other occasions, and Halep has won five times, including the last four meetings.
“She’s No. 1 in the world for a reason,” Stephens said of Halep. “I think that we’ll just have to go out and compete. Somebody’s going to win. Someone has to win. Someone has to lose. Just go out, give it your all, and whoever wins, wins.”
Stephens Trying for Two
The 25-year-old won her one and only Grand Slam last year at the US Open, defeating Keys in the finals. She is hoping she can keep her undefeated streak alive on Saturday.
Stephens is in unfamiliar territory at this event. She has never gotten past the fourth round at the clay courts. She reached the finals by defeating fellow American, and friend, Madison Keys in the semifinals.
“It’s never easy playing someone from your country, let alone someone you actually, like, care about and you’re friends with,” Stephens said. “It’s very difficult. I think more when I do play Madi, it’s just — on the court it’s very competitive. We are always very competitive. But it’s a little weird.”
Halep Seeking Redemption
Last year at this event it looked like the 26-year-old was going to break her unofficial title of “Best Player Never to Win a Grand Slam.” She had lost in the finals here in 2014 to Maria Sharapova and got a chance to win last year against unranked Jelena Ostapenko. She also lost in the finals of this year’s Australian Open.
She established an early lead, winning the first three games, but then fell apart against the 19 year old, and ended up losing in straight sets. She called it one of the most devastating defeats of her career.
“I will try my best,” Halep said. “Hopefully I will be better than last year. I’m happy that I can have another chance.”
Now, however, she believes she is in a place to win a marquee event. She called her semifinal straight-set victory over Garbine Muguruza one of her best matches on clay.
“I have more experience now,” Halep said after the match. “I feel calm. I feel that I have to enjoy this victory because it’s a great match. And I have two more days until I will play the final. So I will relax and then we will see what is going to happen Saturday. But for sure, I will fight for every ball.”