Australian Open: No. 1 Simona Halep survives American Lauren Davis in marathon match

MELBOURNE, Australia — World No. 1 Simona Halep saved three match points to survive a 4-6, 6-4, 15-13 battle of attrition against American Lauren Davis in the longest-timed women’s match of this year’s Australian Open on Saturday.

The match lasted 3 hours, 45 minute before Halep finally took advantage of her first match point at 14-13, 40-30 when Davis sailed a forehand wide.

The encounter equaled the longest women’s match ever in terms of games at the Australian Open with 48. The last time a women’s match had that many games was in 1996 when Chanda Rubin defeated Arantxa Sanchez Vicario 6-4, 2-6, 16-14.

“It’s the only one match that I played like this,” said the 26-year-old Halep. “I gave everything I had today, and actually, I’m really proud that I could stay there and win it. It was not easy at all. She played great.”

Halep served for the match four times in the final set that lasted 2 hours, 22 minutes. She served for the win in the 10th game, 12th game, the 16th game and then the 28th game.

The Romanian, who has yet to win a Grand Slam title although she’s appeared in the French Open finals in 2014 and 2017, admits it wasn’t that long ago her emotions would’ve gotten the better of her in this kind of match. At the Miami tournament last year her attitude was in such a bad place that her coach, Australian Darren Cahill, who also serves as an ESPN commentator, insisted they take a sabbatical from each other.

“I think in the past I wouldn’t have fought that hard,” Halep admitted. “Maybe when she had the match (points), maybe I would have lost it. But now I improved in that way and it makes me really happy that I change myself in a good way.”

Davis, leading 11-10 in the third set, held three match points at 0-40 on Halep’s serve, but made three errors to see those opportunities evaporate.

“Honestly, I thought it’s over at that moment, but was good because I relax my arm and I serve pretty well those three balls,” Halep said. “And then she took the medical (timeout). I had time to calm down. I had come to believe again, to restart my mind.”

Halep, who turned her left ankle during her first match here, managed to dart around the court with the ankle taped tightly, but will likely be concerned as to how she will recover after this endurance test.

“It was very tough match and I never played a third set so long,” Halep said on court. “I’m almost dead. It was nice we could show such good tennis. I don’t know how my ankle is because I can’t feel it anymore.”

Fans cheered for the gutsy Davis as she left the court after she almost landed a first career journey to a Grand Slam fourth-round.

“I’m very tired,” Davis said afterwards. “But there is a lot to take away from that match. I played really, really well. Left all that I had out there on the court, and I did all I could do. I think there are quite a few positives to take away and to learn from, so things are looking up.”

The match had an intriguing aspect in that the 5-foot-6 Halep and 5-foot-2 Davis are two of the more diminutive players on the tour. That factor finds the two of them relying on fitness, endurance and being fleet of foot in scampering around the court.

The stats delivered 52 winners and 73 unforced errors for Davis, and 27 winners and 39 unforced errors for Halep.

“I have always looked up to Halep, because she’s probably like two inches taller than me,” Davis said. “She uses her speed to take time away and rush her opponent. She’s super agile and dynamic around the court. That’s exactly how I play. I think we have shown the world that we can be the best.”

Davis had issues with two toes - first on the left foot and then on the right foot. She was treated twice during the latter stages of the third set for the problem, and later confirmed one of her toenails is about to fall off.

“That first match point I felt something and I couldn’t really put any pressure - it was my right toe, and then it eventually was my left toe, also,” she said. “The trainer wrapped them really well and I was able to move fine after that.”

Halep will play unseeded Naomi Osaka of Japan in the fourth-round. Osaka ended the Australian hope of a possible women’s champion here when she defeated 18th-seeded Ashleigh Barty 6-4, 6-2.