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Romanian tennis player Simona Halep won the Melbourne Summer Set 1 USD 239,477 tournament (WTA 250) on Sunday, after defeating Russian Veronika Kudermetova, 6-2 6-3.
Halep (30 years old, 20 WTA), the second favourite, prevailed after an hour and 14 minutes, winning her first title in Australia.
The former world leader also had a final at the Australian open (2018).
After a 2021 season largely missed due to numerous health problems, Halep started 2022 perfectly with his 23rd career title.
Simona has won both of her previous duels with Kudermetova (24 years old, 31 WTA), both of which took place in 2021, 6-1 6-1 in the third round at the Australian Open and 6-1 7-6 (4) in the eighth round in Moscow. They met twice in doubles, the victory going to the Russian every time, agerpres.ro informs.
Halep was rewarded for the title with $31,000 and 280 WTA points, and Kudermetova was awarded $18,037 and 180 WTA points.
Simona Halep won the 23 singles titles as follows: six in 2013 - Nuremberg, 's-Hertogenbosch, Budapest, New Haven, Moscow, Sofia, two in 2014 - Doha, Bucharest, three in 2015 - Shenzhen, Dubai, Indian Wells, three in 2016 - Madrid, Bucharest, Montreal, one in 2017 - Madrid, three in 2018 - Shenzhen, Roland Garros, Montreal, one in 2019 - Wimbledon, three in 2020 - Dubai, Prague, Rome.
Halep also had 18 lost finals: 2010 - Fes (Morocco), 2011 - Fes, 2012 - Brussels, 2014 - Madrid, Roland Garros, Tournament of Champions, 2015 - Toronto, Cincinnati, 2017 - Rome, Roland Garros, Cincinnati, Beijing, 2018 - Australian Open, Rome, Cincinnati, 2019 - Doha, Madrid, 2021 - Cluj-Napoca (Transylvania Open).
This was the last rehearsal for Simona before participating in the Australian Open (January 17-30), as she dropped out of the tournament in Sydney, due next week.
