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Simona HALEP (ROU) vs Aryna SABALENKA (BLR) | Post-match interview, QF | 2018 Shenzhen Open, China
#ShenzhenOpen Needing just 57 minutes to dispatch the fast-rising Belarusian in their first career meeting, the 2015 champion set up a semifinal match against compatriot Irina-Camelia Begu, who defeated Timea Babos in Thursday’s first quarterfinal, 7-5, 7-5. Striking 11 winners to a tidy five unforced errors, Halep used smart counterpunching to edge one of the WTA’s biggest hitters for the second straight day, after pulling off a three-set comeback against China’s Duan Ying-Ying in Wednesday’s second round. “I know [Sabalenka] is hitting really strong and really hard, but I was very strong in my legs and I could block every ball and I could also open the court,” Halep assessed post-match. “It’s not easy to do that when you play against a big hitter, but I did everything today and I feel I played great.” The Romanian nearly matched Sabalenka in total winners, as the Belarusian hit 12 in 14 games, but the 19-year-old was undone by a total of 22 unforced errors which allowed Halep four breaks of serve in the match. The top seed got off on the right foot in the quarterfinal victory, earning a pair of breaks to lead 3-0 by the first sit-down. Though Halep surrendered her first, and only, service game to the World No.73 in the next game, she quickly rebounded by winning eight of the next nine points to restore a double-break advantage. Sabalenka showed her mettle by saving a set point in the seventh game, denying Halep her third straight to hold from deuce, but the World No.1 wrapped up the opener in short order with her first ace of the match. Sabalenka stayed with Halep to begin the second set, saving a break point in the first game and holding twice in the early action, but the World No.1 quickly moved into another gear over the course of five straight games. Breaking Sabalenka’s serve twice more, Halep cruised into her first semifinal of the season as she lost just two points on serve in the set. The 2015 champion in Shenzhen, Halep is looking to become the second player to win a pair of titles in the Chinese city in the brief history of the event. Two-time Grand Slam champion Li Na won the inaugural Shenzhen Open in 2013, and successfully defended her crown in 2014. “I’m still far to win the title. Tomorrow is going to be a tough match. It’s going to be a nice match,” Halep said. “It’s a nice match because we are both Romanian. We will see what will happen tomorrow but I’m ready to fight for my match. We last played singles a long time ago but I believe I have my chance. “Of course, I will give everything I have, I will try to win as I always try to win. I’m enjoying playing here in Shenzhen.” The two Romanians, also in the doubles semifinals together, have played five times overall since 2007. Halep holds a perfect 5-0 head-to-head advantage, and Begu has managed to win just one set overall in their meetings. “We know each other too well and it’s always going to be a tough match,” Begu said of Halep. “[Today] is big victory early in the year and I’m happy to be the first semifinalist in the tournament. I hope I can do well tomorrow.”
Netherlands - Belarusian 4-1 Goals & Highlights 07/10/2016
Netherlands - Belarusian 4-1 Goals & Highlights 07/10/2016 Netherlands - Belarusian 4-1 Goals & Highlights 07/10/2016 Quincy Promes scored his first international goals as Netherlands sealed their first win of 2018 World Cup qualifying with a 4-1 victory over Belarus at De Kuip. In his previous 14 Netherlands appearances Promes had failed to hit the back of the net, but he finally broke his duck when he squeezed a shot past three defenders and into the bottom-right corner in the 15th minute. The 24-year-old winger netted his second with the help of a deflection before half-time, with Davy Klaassen adding to the hosts' tally after Aleksei Rios had halved the deficit early in the second half. Vincent Janssen capped a brilliant display when he slammed the ball into the top-right corner from 18 yards, and there was no way back for Aleksandr Khatskevich's side, who were unable to test Maarten Stekelenburg, making his first international appearance since October 2012, in the Netherlands net again. However, it was Promes who was the star of the show, ensuring the absence of Arjen Robben due to a rib injury was not keenly felt, though the withdrawal of Wesley Sneijder at half-time may provide Danny Blind with cause for concern ahead of Monday's clash with France. The defeat will be a blow for Belarus after opening their campaign with a goalless draw against France, but their next meeting with Luxembourg offers a chance to make up for lost ground. Netherlands threatened down their right in the early stages and, after Janssen forced a save from Belarus goalkeeper Andrei Gorbunov and saw his shot from six yards blocked by Sergei Politevich, the breakthrough came. Janssen moved out wide and fired in a cross that the visiting defence were unable to deal with, the loose ball falling to Promes who snuck a shot inside the near post. Virgil van Dijk volleyed home in the centre of the area from Sneijder's free-kick but the goal was incorrectly ruled out for offside, with Janssen the player standing in an illegal position at the back post. The second came in the 31st minute when a corner was only cleared as far as Promes, whose 20-yard volley found the bottom-right corner with the help of a deflection off Ivan Maevski. Sneijder, whose preparation for the match was hampered by a hamstring injury, was replaced by Davy Propper for the second half, while Belarus replaced Maevski with Aleksandr Hleb. The visitors pulled one back within two minutes of the restart as Sergei Kornilenko spun Jeffrey Bruma and drilled a low cross in from the left that Rios tucked away. However, Netherlands soon restored their two-goal cushion. A mistake on the edge of the box from Mikhail Sivakov allowed Promes to poke the ball to Janssen, whose 20-yard shot came back off the post but fell kindly for Klaassen to finish. Janssen finally got on the scoresheet himself, bending a venomous left-footed shot in off the underside of the crossbar. Georginio Wijnaldum was denied by the upright as Netherlands attempted to extend their advantage, but victory was secure and they were able to see out the closing stages comfortably. Netherlands - Belarusian 4-1 Goals & Highlights 07/10/2016 Netherlands - Belarusian 4-1 Goals & Highlights 07/10/2016 Netherlands - Belarusian 4-1 Netherlands - Belarusian 4-1 Netherlands - Belarusian 4-1 Netherlands - Belarusian 4-1