It'll be a momentous day for Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki on Saturday in Melbourne, as they'll each be looking to win their first Grand Slam titles in the final of the Australian Open at the Rod Laver Arena.In addition, the winner between Halep and Wozniacki, seeded first and second, respectively, will also be the world No. 1 when the new WTA rankings are announced. Both will be desperate to avoid falling at the final hurdle at the start of 2018.Here are the key details on where to catch the action and a preview of what's poised to be one of the highlights on the 2018 tennis calendar.Date: Saturday, January 27Time: 8:30 a.m. (GMT), 3:30 a.m. (ET), 7:30 p.m. (Local)TV Info: Eurosport (UK), Tennis Channel (U.S.)Live Stream:Eurosport Player(UK),Tennis Channel Everywhere(U.S.),WatchESPN(U.S.)PreviewThe women's bracket at the 2018 Australian Open was expected to be one of the most open in recent years. So it comes as something of a surprise that the top two seeds have made it to the final.It's been far from straightforward for the two finalists, though, as Christopher Clarey of the New York Times noted during Halep's showdown with Angelique Kerber on Thursday, both have had close shaves in this tournament:It's testament to the mental strength of both players that they've been able to get to this point as a result. Halep, in particular, has been involved in some gruelling contests.The Romanian top seed won 15-13 in the third set against Lauren Davis in Round 3, saving three match points in the process. And then, in the semi-final with Kerber, she went to the trenches and emerged victorious again, this time winning 9-7 in a thrilling decider.Here's a look at the moment Halep became the first Romanian to book her place in the final in Melbourne, per Eurosport UK:Per the Australian Open Twitter account, if she is going to win this competition, she'll make history:In the past, Halep has come up short in Grand Slam finals, losing in the final of the French Open in 2014 and 2017. It's a similar story for Wozniacki, who has fallen at the final hurdle of the U.S. Open twice.The Dane has also been involved in some tough affairs in the tournament. In Round 2 she was 5-1 down in the third set Jana Fett, before six games in a row turned the match around. Since then, Wozniacki has moved through the gears, and in her semi-final win over Elise Mertens the second seed excelled.Wozniacki has tended to get the better of Halep when they've met, especially in recent meetings, per tennis journalist Simon Cambers:Ben Rothenberg of the New York Times said both players can hold their head high regardless of the outcome on Saturday:Halep and Wozniacki, for all their talent and victories down the years, have each come to be defined in many respects by their failure to convert on the biggest stage. On Saturday, finally getting over the line will be enormous for the eventual champion.There's little between the two heading into Saturday's showdown, with both players showcasing some sparkling form at times Down Under. Wozniacki has arguably had the less exhausting run to the final, but a battle-hardened Halep has shown she can dig deep to get over the line in these titanic encounters.
Click here to read full news..
