By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday October 31, 2021
Surging Anett Kontaveit zoomed past Simona Halep to book her fourth title of 2021 and lock up a WTA Finals spot.
Photo Source: Transylvania Open
Anett Kontaveit is going to Guadalajara.
The Estonian capped yet another convincing title run on Sunday in Romania, defeating top-seeded Simona Halep 6-2 6-3 at Kluj-Napoca to ensure the final qualification spot for this year’s WTA Finals field.
"Anett, you crushed me," Halep told the crowd at the start of her runner-up speech.
She wasn't joking.
Kontaveit’s push has been stunning. The 25-year-old stretches her untouchable run on indoor hard courts to 15, and she has now won 26 of 28 matches dating back to the start of her run to the Cleveland title in August.
Kontaveit, who will also make her Top-10 debut next week, has won four of the last seven events she played, and though Halep has been rounding into form this week on home soil, the two-time Grand Slam champion was no match for her in Sunday’s final.
She had not managed to take a set from Halep in their three previous meetings but on Sunday she showed just how far she has come as a talent in the second half of 2021.
"I'm kind of speechless," Kontaveit told the crowd after the final. "This week was incredible for me, of course I'd like to congratulate Simona - you're such a role model, I've looked up to you for so many years, you've beaten me so many times and it was an honor to share a court with you."
The Estonian peppered Halep with a barrage of forehands, and was quick to pull the trigger down the line. She hit 15 forehand winners, compared to just three for Halep. Kontaveit stormed out to a 5-1 lead in the opener, and though halep managed a break back to delay the inevitable, Konteveit returned the favor by breaking back to seal the first set.
Halep jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second set but the advantage was fleeting. It was Kontaveit who once again turned the screws and reeled off five games to get to the brink of victory.
Ever valiant Halep saved two championship points while serving at 2-5, and eventually held for 3-5, but Kontaveit quickly closed the encounter, serving out the match at love
Guadalajara Field Is Set - Jabeur Gives Props to Kontaveit
Now that Kontaveit has completed one of the most stunning qualification runs in WTA Finals history, she can look forward to taking her place alongside seven other players - Aryna Sabalenka, Barbora Krejcikova, Karolina Pliskova, Maria Sakkari, Iga Swiatek, Garbine Muguruza and Paula Badosa - in Guadalajara, beginning November 10.
Kontaveit's qualification nudges Ons Jabeur out of the field. The ground-breaking Tunisian, who made history this season by becoming the first Arab player - male or female - to crack the Top-10 took it in stride, sharing a congragulatory message for Kontaveit the minute the Estonian locked up the title.
"So sorry Ons that I had to do this to you. I'm really looking forward to next year, hopefully we both can make it," Kontaveit said on court.
Upon hearing of Kontaveit's words Jabeur took to Twitter again to say she'd be going to Guadalajara as an alternate.