Woz, Halep target slam title, world Number 1

MELBOURNE – Simona Halep fended off Angelique Kerber to set up a high stakes Australian Open final against Caroline Wozniacki that will have a first Grand Slam title and the No. 1 ranking on the line for both players.

After No. 2 Wozniacki had secured her spot in the final, top-seeded Halep raced to a 6-3, 3-1 lead in the second semifinal before Kerber rallied to force a third. Both players had chances to serve out the match, and both staved off match points in long and engrossing rallies, before Halep converted her fourth match point in a 6-3, 4-6, 9-7 victory.

In men’s semis, world No. 6 Marin Cilic ended Kyle Edmund’s Aussie Open dream with a 6-2, 7-6, 6-2 romp to clinch the first finals berth in Rod Laver Arena.

Cilic lived up to the hype as one of the game’s power hitters, blasting in winners with consistency to dominate the world No. 49. He will next face the winner between Roger Federer and Korean Hyeon Chung.

Halep was on a 10-match winning streak after collecting the title in Shenzhen, China, while Kerber was on a 14-match streak that included the Hopman Cup and her title run in Sydney.

‘’Well, definitely was very tough. I’m shaking now – I’m really emotional,’’ Halep said after her 2-hour, 20-minute semifinal win over Kerber, the only major winner to reach the last four. ‘’I’m really glad that I could resist. I had two match balls and I lost them. Today I was like a roller coaster – up and down – (but) I had confidence in myself.’’

For Halep, now, it’s a first Grand Slam final appearance off the clay at Roland Garros. For Wozniacki, it’s a first Grand Slam final outside of America.

Both finalists have had to save match points to reach Saturday’s championship match.

Halep spent just shy of 10 hours on court in her first five matches, the longest of any of the semifinalists, and fended off triple match point in her third-round win over Lauren Davis that ended 15-13 in the third.

Wozniacki has had a slightly smoother run, though she had to save match points and rally from 5-1 down in the third set of her second-round win. She also had some nervous moments in her 6-3, 7-6 (2) semifinal win over Elise Mertens.

Wozniacki appeared to be coasting against Mertens, getting breaks in the middle of each set. But she began getting tight when she was serving for the match at 5-4: From 30-15, she double-faulted twice and Mertens passed her with a forehand winner to level the set at 5-5.

The No. 37-ranked Mertens lifted her intensity, holding her serve at love and then having two set points in the next game before Wozniacki eventually held in a service game lasting 8 1/2 minutes.

‘’I got really tight at 5-4,’’ Wozniacki said. ‘’I think I was nervous. I didn’t do much wrong for the first three points of that game. I served two good serves, then I had that forehand down the line which I missed by a couple of millimeters.’’

In the tiebreaker, Wozniacki’s experience made the difference.