Canada Open final, Simona Halep vs Haddad Maia: Match preview
Simona Halep and Beatriz Haddad Maia are set to lock horns in the women's singles final of the 2022 Canada Open. The former defeated Jessica Pegula to reach her second final of the season. It will be the biggest final for Halep since winning in Rome in 2020. Meanwhile, Haddad Maia qualified for her first-ever WTA 1000 final after beating 14th seed Karolina Pliskova.
Halep claimed a 6-0, 6-2 win against Donna Vekic in the second round at the Canada Open. The former then secured straight-set wins against Zhang Shuai, Jil Teichmann, and Coco Gauff in the next three rounds, respectively. Halep defeated Jessica Pegula in what turned out to be her 29th career semi-final at a WTA 1000 event. Halep is 29-9 in WTA 1000 quarter-finals.
Simona Halep entered into her 18th WTA 1000 final, the joint-most with Serena Williams since 2009. Maria Sharapova (16), Victoria Azarenka (15), and Caroline Wozniacki (12) follow the duo on the tally. Haddad Maia is vying to win her 24th WTA career title.
Haddad Maia's second-round was a tough won as she beat Martina Trevisan 6-2, 2-6, 6-2. The former defeated Leylah Annie Fernandez in straight sets. Haddad Maia claimed a three-set win against Iga Swiątek. In the quarter-final, the Brazilian stunned Belinda Bencic, having come from behind. Haddad Maia upset Karolína Plískova to reach a historic Canada Open final.
Halep, who has dropped just one set at the Canada Open, has a win-loss record of 37-10 this year, the joint-second-most wins this season with Jabeur. She is aiming to win her second title in 2022. Prior to this tourney, Halep retired midway in the round of 16 at the 2022 Citi Open. Before that, she had made it to the 2022 Wimbledon semis.
Haddad Maia has won 17 matches on the WTA tour since June this year. She has the second-most WTA wins in this period after Caroline Garcia (20). In the ongoing season, Haddad Maia has reached at least five semi-finals. Only Swiatek (8) and Halep (7) have more qualified for more semi-finals in 2022. Notably, the Brazilian is 7-1 against Top 20 players this year.
As per WTA, Haddad Maia has become the first Brazilian to reach a WTA 1000 quarter-final, semi-final, and final this week. She is also the first left-handed player to reach the Canada Open final since Petra Kvitova won the title in 2012.
