By Tennis Now | Monday, June 4, 2018
World No. 1 Simona Halep demolished Elise Mertens, 6-2, 6-1, while Daria Kasatkina ended Caroline Wozniacki's quest to regain No. 1 with a 7-6 (5), 6-3 win.
Photo credit: @Roland Garros
The world's top two were worlds apart in disparate Roland Garros routes today.
World No. 1 Simona Halep hammered Elise Mertens, 6-2, 6-1, in 59 minutes roaring into the Roland Garros quarterfinals for the third time.
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Since dropping her opening set of the tournament to American Alison Riske, Halep has reeled off eight consecutive sets, dropping just 20 games in five matches.
Daria Kasatkina bounced second-ranked Caroline Wozniacki out of Paris, 7-6 (5), 6-3, bursting into her first career Grand Slam quarterfinal in her 11th major appearance and denying the Australian Open champion's quest to regain the top spot.
The 14th-seeded Kasatkina wrapped up a match that began yesterday, but was suspended due to darkness at 3-all in the second set. Wozniacki's exit means 2016 champion Garbine Muguruza is the only woman standing with a shot to surpass Halep for world No. 1 in Paris.
Kasatkina will play US Open champion Sloane Stephens for a place in the final four.
"I’m really happy,” said Kasatkina. “It’s something like a dream come true to play on this court.”
Kasatkina swept Stephens, 6-4, 6-3, en route to the Indian Wells final in March. The 10th-seeded Stephens won their lone prior clay-court clash contested on Har-Tru at the 2016 Charleston.
Two-time French Open finalist Halep dominated from start to finish.
Halep served 75 percent, dropped just three points on her second serve and faced only two break points in beating the 16th-seeded Belgian for the second time in a month.
"I'm pleased with the result," Halep told Tennis Channel's Chanda Rubin. "I think I played my best match here this year. She's very aggressive, so I had to do the same thing.
"Those four games at the beginning were very important. When I took the lead, 3-1, I felt more confident and started playing more relaxed."
The Australian Open finalist mauled Mertens in Madrid last month permitting just three games.
In today's rematch, Halep hit 16 winners compared to five for the 16th-seeded Belgian, who double faulted on match point.
The top-seeded Romanian will play either seventh-seeded Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia or two-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber for a semifinal spot.
The 26-year-old Halep defeated Garcia, 6-2, 6-3, in last month's Rome quarterfinals, earning her fourth win in five matches with the 2016 French Open doubles champions.
Halep has won five of nine matches vs. former world No. 1 Kerber, including a classic, 6-3, 4-6, 9-7, epic victory in the Australian Open semifinals in January.