The last year's Madrid finalist will have another chance to fight for the title in the Spanish capital, defeating the 8th seed Sloane Stephens 6-2, 7-5 in an hour and a half for the 11th WTA final and the second of the season. The Dutch scored the first win over the American in three meetings, playing better on both the first and second serve and fending off eight out of nine break points to mount the pressure on Stephens who competed in the fourth semi-final on the European clay. Playing against ten break points, Sloane got broken four times, wasting three set points on the return in the tenth game of the second set and dropping the last three games to propel Kiki into the title match. Bertens broke in the very first game of the encounter when she forced an error from Stephens, repelling four break points in the next game to cement the lead and settle into a fine rhythm. A forehand down the line winner sent Kiki 4-1 up after 20 minutes and she closed the opener with a hold in game eight after 34 minutes. After five good holds in set number two, Stephens drew first blood in the sixth game with a backhand down the line winner, only to waste the advantage in the very next game after a double fault, bringing Kiki back to the positive side of the scoreboard. Facing an ultimate challenge, the Dutch managed to stayed focused and save three set points at 4-5 to build the momentum and confidence, scoring a break in the next game after a backhand error from Sloane and wrapping up the triumph on own serve following another backhand mistake from the American, moving a win away from the place in the top-5 for the first time.<doc-sep>Halep has the opportunity to move back to the top of the WTA rankings with a win in Saturday's final against Bertens. Two-time Madrid winner Halep broke the unseeded Bencic in the first game of the first set, the Swiss' errant reverse flying out, but she broke back to tie at 2-2. The Romanian's down-the-line shot sealed another break in the penultimate game and she served out to win it comfortably in 27 minutes. WTA Madrid Bertens defeats Halep to win Madrid Open 11/05/2019 AT 18:32 Halep won virtually all of the long rallies, but Bencic reacted well at the start of the second set, playing more aggressively. Bencic broke to go 3-1, enjoying a stroke of luck with a shot that clipped the net and dropped just over. Halep battled back, earning a tie-break, but Bencic won it comfortably to force a deciding set, although she immediately started to struggle. At three games down, she cried during the break, visibly emotional, with Halep immediately breaking for 4-0 when play resumed, going on to wrap up the set and the match with ease. "It's a nice feeling to be back in the final of this special tournament, I'm really happy playing here," said Halep. "In the second set in that tie break I was rushing too much, I lost control of it, but then I just calmed down, told myself I had to start the match again. "I started to play smarter, opened the court more and became more aggressive." Seventh seed Bertens reached her second straight final in Madrid as she gained revenge on reigning champion Petra Kvitova in the last eight before defeating Sloane Stephens 6-2 7-5 on Friday. Bertens had to save three set points against Stephens but eventually recorded her first victory against the American in their third encounter. The Dutch world number seven triumphed in St Petersburg this season and is going for her ninth career title on Saturday. "I feel unbelievable of course, it's great to be in the final and I'm happy to finish it in two (sets)," said Bertens. "It's going to be really tough (against Halep), we played each other in the past so I know it will be a tough battle, but I'm ready for it, one more push here." WTA Madrid World number one Osaka exits Madrid Open 09/05/2019 AT 21:51<doc-sep>Osaka, 21, admitted she over-thought about the need to win the match in order to retain her ranking at the top of the women's game as she went down 3-6 6-2 7-5. The 21-year-old Japanese was a break up in the final set against Bencic, but was broken when serving for the match at 5-4 as the wind swirled despite the blue skies in the Spanish capital. Naomi Osaka of Japan shakes hands with winner and opponent Belinda Bencic of Switzerland during day six of the Mutua Madrid Open at La Caja Magica on May 09, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. Image credit: Getty Images Roland-Garros Nadal, Djokovic and Federer in same half of juicy French Open draw 21 HOURS AGO "People have been telling me that if I get to the semis I stay at number one so I wanted to do that," Osaka said. "I wanted to do that and was thinking about it while I was playing, which wasn't a good thing. I play my best when I'm calm and today I wasn't, so that's the biggest thing I can learn." Bencic will face two-times Madrid champion Halep in the last four after the Romanian beat ninth seed Ashleigh Barty 7-5 7-5. Belinda Bencic of Switzerland seen in action against Naomi Osaka of Japan during day six of the Mutua Madrid Open at La Caja Magica in Madrid, Spain. Image credit: Getty Images If Halep wins the tournament she will replace Osaka at the top of the WTA rankings heading into the French Open. Stephens comfortably saw off Croatian Petra Martic 6-4 6-3 to set up a semi-final with Bertens after the Dutch seventh seed stunned world number two Petra Kvitova 6-2 6-3 in Thursday's late match under the floodlights. Roland-Garros Osaka to skip press conferences at French Open YESTERDAY AT 07:22<doc-sep>
World no. 3 and a former Madrid champion Simona Halep is through to the 35th WTA final, defeating Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-7, 6-0 in an hour and 57 minutes. This was the 25th win in Madrid in the last 28 matches for the Romanian and she is now one triumph away from becoming world no. 1 again if she beats Sloane Stephens or Kiki Bertens in the final on Saturday. Belinda was on the verge of defeat against Naomi Osaka yesterday before she performed a great escape for one of her best results on clay, giving her best to overcome a slow start today before falling in the deciding set when she ran out of gas. Serving at 71%, Simona delivered solid numbers behind the initial shot, fending off three out of six break points and keeping the pressure on the Swiss who gave serve away eight times from 13 opportunities offered to the Romanian. They had a similar number of winners (Bencic was in front before the deciding set) and Halep made fewer errors, taming her shots nicely and saving energy for the final set after a great run in Madrid this week that even brought a double bagel to her tally. Simona made a strong start, breaking in the opening game of the match and grabbing 16 of the last 20 points at 2-2 for a 6-2, dictating the pace of the rallied and standing as a wall ready to return every shot from Bencic with even higher velocity. They traded four breaks in the first five games of the second set and Belinda was prepared to fight in the remaining games and stay in contention, wasting a set point at 6-5 and clinching the tie break 7-2 to prolong the clash and send it into a decider. There, Simona took charge and wrapped the things up in less than 30 minutes, losing only 12 points in six games and delivering a bagel for the best possible finish and the place in the title match.