Simona Halep will finally become women’s world No.1 tennis player on Monday after reaching the final of the China Open.
The Romanian has missed out on the chance to top the rankings twice this year. But, it was third time lucky as she beat Jelena Ostapenko 6-2 6-4 in the semi-finals in Beijing.
Halep will dethrone Garbine Muguruza early next week when the new rankings are released and becomes the third woman to take top spot since mid-July after short spells for the Spaniard and Czech Karolina Pliskova.
Halep would have had the honour in June had she beaten Ostapenko in the French Open final, but the Latvian sprang a surprise at Roland Garros.
She took her revenge in Tokyo, taking advantage of Ostapenko’s weak second serve with two breaks in the first set.
Halep might have had a sense of deja vu when she found herself a set and a break up as that was the position of the French Open final when Ostapenko started a brilliant comeback.
The Latvian threatened it again, as she rallied to lead the second set 4-3, but Halep steeled herself and reeled off three successive games.
She is about to become the 25th player in WTA ranking history to claim top spot.