It is difficult to imagine anyone other than Simona Halep being the player of destiny in the women’s field at the Australian Open after what has unfolded in Melbourne this fortnight.
Halep saved three match points against Lauren Davis in a record tussle on Saturday and saved two more Thursday against 2016 champion Angelique Kerber to reach the final, where she will battle Caroline Wozniacki.
The Romanian prevailed 6-3 4-6 9-7 in what will surely go down as one of the matches of the season come December, overcoming a pair of missed match points on the Kerber serve earlier in the third. The rejuvenated German suffered her first defeat of 2018.
Saturday’s finale thus pits world No. 1 Halep against the second-ranked Wozniacki, who downed maiden grand slam semifinalist Elise Mertens 6-3 7-6 (7-2) in a tussle that featured some drama though not as much as the second semifinal on Rod Laver Arena. Wozniacki saved two set points in the second.
Some would argue that Wozniacki, too, has some destiny on her side given the Dane saved two match points in her second-round win over Jana Fett.
Halep or Wozniacki will open their grand slam account in a third final of a major for both.