Red-hot Halep topples Garcia

MONTREAL, Canada — World number one Simona Halep punched her ticket to the semi-finals of the WTA Canada tournament for the fourth straight year, cruising past France’s Caroline Garcia 7-5, 6-1 on Friday.

The 26-year-old Halep battled through a difficult first set, then easily won the second in a rematch of last year’s quarter-final contest with Garcia which was also won by the Romanian.

“The first set was really tough,” Halep said. “I just didn’t give up at all in the first set. After I took it, I felt more confident.

“I felt that I’m moving better, I’m playing better, stronger. [Garcia] went a little bit down with energy after she lost that set.”

The top-seeded Halep hammered 19 winners and won 77 percent of points on her first serve in the 88-minute contest.

Garcia started quickly but could not keep her unforced errors in check, finishing with a total of 31. She earned her only career win over Halep in five previous meetings in the 2017 WTA Beijing final.

Halep moves on to the final four where she will face Aussie Ashleigh Barty, who ousted giant killer Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands in straight sets 6-3, 6-1.

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