Simona Halep Completes Comeback to Win BNP Paribas Open Title

Simona Halep fought back from a set down to win the BNP Paribas Open title over Jelena Jankovic 2-6, 7-5,6-4 on Sunday in Indian Wells.

For Halep, the tournament victory is the biggest of her career to date.

“I just want to enjoy this moment and to be ready for the next tournament,” Halep said after the match.

Every meeting between between Jankovic and Halep has gone the full three sets, and Sunday’s final was no exception.

Battling back-and-forth, the two players traded services games early in the first set. Jankovic took advantage of too many errors by Halep winning four games in a row to grab set one.

The script flipped in the second set, with the Serb committing more errors allowing Halep to seize control of the second set.

“I let her come back into the match,” Jankovic said. “Then again, the third set we were fighting and we were fighting. It was so close. I mean, it was few points here and there. I was two points away from winning.”

Neither player served well, trading breaks 18 times throughout the two-and-a-half hour match. Fittingly, Halep hit a forehand winner to end a lengthy 17-shot rally, break Jankovic’s serve and win the championship.

“First of all, I don’t know how I won today because I didn’t play my best,” Halep said. “I didn’t play like good tennis, but I just wanted to fight till the end because I think that is the most important thing for my style, for myself.”

“I got it, and I’m really happy that I have another title,” Halep said.

Jankovic could not move much just days before the tournament started after suffering a torn right leg muscle in Doha. The Serb got healthier and played consistent tennis to reach and win the final.

“I want to thank all the physios. They’ve done a great job to keep me in shape and help me recover,” Jankovic said.

By making the finals, Jankovic moves back into the top 15 in the world on the WTA singles rankings.

Halep moves No. 1 in the standings for the season ending WTA Finals in Singapore, passing both Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. The Romanian is the first player on tour to win three singles titles in 2015.

“To go to Singapore. That’s the only (goal),” Halep said. “And in my career to win a Grand Slam.”