Simona Halep has finally ended her wait to top the WTA rankings after reaching the final of the China Open.
Throughout 2017, Halep has come agonisingly close to becoming world number one, only to lose a match which would have resulted in her claiming the much sought-after position.
However, the Romanian has now achieved her goal after registering a 6-2 6-4 triumph over Jelena Ostapenko, who denied her a first Grand Slam title at the French Open earlier this year.
Halep will not officially top the standings until Monday when the rankings are updated, but she will officially be regarded as the 25th player to become world number one in the women's game.
The 26-year-old's next goal will be to win a Major crown, with only two runner-up and two semi-final places having been recorded during her career.
Written by
Darren Plant
Darren Plant
