Simona Halep kisses the trophy after beating Elena Rybakina to take her 20th singles title of the Dubai Championships on Feb. 22. (Xinhua/EPA)
"It was amazing," Halep said after she won her 20th career title.
DUBAI, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Top-seeded Simona Halep won her 20th singles title after an impressive comeback win over Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in the Dubai Championships final on Saturday.
The 2015 Dubai champion had to rally back from one set down to overcome Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) in the final.
"It was amazing," Halep said of the two-and-a-half hour final. "Rybakina fought till the end. She didn't give up any balls. It was really tough mentally. The pressure was very high. But I want it badly, so that's why I fought till the end."
Elena Rybakina returns the ball during her final against Simona Halep at the Dubai Championships on Feb. 22. (Xinhua/EPA)
Rybakina knocked out recently-crowned Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin and former No.1 Karolina Pliskova on her way to the final.
"She's strong. She's tall. She has power," Halep said. "I think she's really good to get into the top 10 very soon."
The victory is the first for the Romanian star this year. ■
