Bertens wins Madrid title; No. 1 to elude Halep

Kiki Bertens became the first woman to win the Madrid Open without dropping a set, after upsetting Simona Halep 6-4, 6-4 in the final. (1:16)

MADRID — Kiki Bertens beat two-time Madrid Open champion Simona Halep 6-4, 6-4 to take the women’s title on Saturday.

Bertens, last year’s runner-up, defeated Halep for her second title of the year, adding to her victory in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The seventh-ranked Dutch became the first woman to win the Madrid title without dropping a set. She had victories over three Grand Slam champions — Jelena Ostapenko, Sloane Stephens and Petra Kvitova — in the Spanish capital. Bertens lost to Kvitova in last year’s final.

Halep, winner in Madrid in 2016 and 2017, lost the chance to take over the No. 1 ranking from Naomi Osaka.

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