LONDON: Caroline Wozniacki and Simona Halep both have the opportunity to deal a forehand smash at their past Grand Slam near-misses in Saturday鈥檚 Australian Open final.
While one will be able to end her hoodoo, the other will be left to to wonder if she will ever land one of the sport鈥檚 top four titles.
Both have been world No.1, and both have flirted with Slam success only to end up in the role of runner-up 鈥� Wozniacki losing twice at the US Open, Halep twice at Roland Garros.
And in a twist of fate, both enter the Australian Open final playing with what Wozniacki calls 鈥渉ouse money鈥� 鈥� they have each saved match points earlier in the tournament and feel they are making the most of their second chances.
In Halep鈥檚 case, it is actually a third chance. She saved match points against not one, but two opponents at Melbourne Park 鈥� Lauren Davis in the third round, and Angelique Kerber in the semifinal.
鈥淚 was not afraid of losing,鈥� the top-seeded Halep said after surviving a thrilling, three-setter against Kerber.
鈥淚 won those balls, and then I got the confidence back that I鈥檓 still alive and I can do it.鈥�
Wozniacki lost the 2009 US Open to Kim Clijsters, she then had a five-year wait for a second shot in New York, falling to Serena Williams in the 2014 final.
And now she hopes to go one better and get her hands on a major trophy.
鈥淚 always believed in myself,鈥� Wozniacki said. 鈥淚 was just giving myself time. I think if you don鈥檛 feel like you can go all the way in tournaments, then to me there鈥檚 no sense in playing. So for me it鈥檚 always I want to be competitive, I want to be the best, and that鈥檚 why I鈥檓 still playing.鈥�