Serena Serena fends off gutsy Simona Halep to lift Cincinnati Masters title

London : World number one Serena Williams swept aside a spirited Simona Halep in straight sets to win her second successive Cincinnati Masters title. The 21-time Grand Slam champion overcame third seed Halep 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) in a thrilling summit clash that lasted one hour and nine minutes. Although Halep broke Williams in the opening game of the match, the American wrestled her way back into the game by winning five straight games to secure the first set, the BBC reported. Subsequently, Serena clinched the game after edging past her Romanian opponent in a nail-biting tie break in the second set. With the win, Serena secured 69th singles title of her career and will head into the US Open seeking a calendar-year Grand Slam sweep.