Muguruza routs would-be No 1 Halep for Cincy title

CINCINNATI, Ohio: Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza humbled second-ranked Simona Halep 6-1, 6-0 in Sunday’s final of the WTA Cincinnati Open, denying the Romanian the world number one spot in the process.

Sixth-seeded Spaniard Muguruza needed only 56 minutes to capture her second title of the year and her first in a US event, taking the $522,450 top prize in the last major US Open tuneup.

“The American swing was never going my way,” Muguruza said. “Finally, this year, I improved that.”It marked the third loss of the year for Halep when she was playing for the top ranking, also falling in the French Open final against Jelena Ostapenko and the Wimbledon quarterfinal against Johanna Konta, each time after taking the first set.

“Maybe I feel the pressure and I don’t realize it,” Halep said. “Maybe I just played bad.”Halep apologized to spectators after the embarrassing defeat, thanking them for support “even if I played so bad and Muguruza played so well.”

“It was a big shame to lose 6-1, 6-0 in the final,” Halep said. “I got dominated. I can’t control anymore the points. That’s why I got down in my confidence.”Czech Karolina Pliskova, a semi-final loser to Muguruza, will remain world number one by a five-point margin over Halep.

“It’s still there. I still have a chance,” Halep said. “Maybe one day I will be there.”Meanwhile, Grigor Dimitrov captured his seventh and biggest career title, defeating Australia’s Nick Kyrgios 6-3, 7-5 to win the ATP Cincinnati Masters and boost his confidence for the US Open.

The 11th-ranked Bulgarian never dropped a set in taking the top prize of $954,225 and his first Masters title, a perfect stepping stone into the year’s last Grand Slam event that begins a week from Monday.

“In the big picture, it means a lot to me,” Dimitrov said. “I’m pretty confident after that win. This is what I’ve been practicing for. It’s my biggest win so far.”In the highest-level ATP final ever contested between two players born in the 1990s, Dimitrov collected his tour-best 24th hardcourt match victory of the year and third title of 2017 after Brisbane and Sofia.

After battling a hip injury and lack of motivation three weeks ago in Washington, Kyrgios was thrilled at the run to his biggest final yet.“From where I was to here, it’s just amazing,” Kyrgios said. “I just feel the way I should. I just didn’t want to be out there. I lost today but I feel great with where I’m at now.

“I’m pretty excited for the US Open, enjoying getting out there and getting some wins again.”Rising from that disheartened low point to a Masters final was a shocker, Kyrgios said.“That’s a very Nick Kyrgios thing to do,” he said. “Crazy. I really don’t know how I did it. It’s a miracle.”