DOHA — Simona Halep, the young Romanian whose dazzling form signaled her as the tour's rising star, confirmed that impression Sunday as she collected the biggest prize of her career with an impressive 6-2, 6-3 victory over German Angelique Kerber in the Qatar Open. The 22-year-old seventh seed — who was winning her third WTA title — eased to victory over the 26-year-old sixth seeded German, to add her to other impressive conquests this week the second and fourth seeds, Agnieszka Radwanska and Sara Errani. Once again the pace of Halep's hitting, and her daring play, placed a more experienced and more highly rated opponent under such continuous pressure that she forced uncharacteristic errors. “I never believed I could win the tournament when I came here,” said Halep, who reached the world's top ten for the first time only last month. Halep is already the only woman player to win at least one title on hard, clay and grass courts, and has now won seven of her last eight matches against top ten players. For the moment her reward is to climb just one place to world number nine. Few would now bet against her soon climbing again though, with Errani, Jelena Jankovic, and Petra Kvitova very much in her sights. Berdych ends drought Tomas Berdych buried a title drought lasting nearly a year and a half as he defeated Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-2 Sunday to win the Rotterdam World Tennis. The Czech third seed, ranked seventh in the world, handed Croatia's unseeded Cilic his first loss after nine straight wins which took him to the Zagreb title a week ago. It was the ninth career title for the new champion, off to his best season start with a 12-2 record. Berdych had not earned an ATP trophy since Stockholm, October, 2012, 16 months ago. He suffered through 2013 as the only player in the top 10 not to win a title, losing finals in Marseille, Dubai and Bangkok. Nishikori to meet Karlovic Defending champion Kei Nishikori will face big-serving Croatian Ivo Karlovic in the's final of the $647,000 ATP US National Indoor Championships after each breezed to a semifinal victory Saturday. Japanese star Nishikori, top seeded for the first time at an ATP event, defeated American Michael Russell 6-3, 6-2 while Karlovic advanced when Taiwan fourth seed Lu Yen-Hsun retired after losing the first set 6-1. Nishikori, ranked 16th, seeks his fourth ATP crown while Karlovic, ranked 80th, seeks his sixth career title. Ferrer-Fognini final Top-seeded David Ferrer and No. 2 Fabio Fognini of Italy will contest the final of the Copa Claro in the Argentine capital. Ferrer defeated fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro, the 2011 champion, 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals on Saturday. Ferrer has won 20 ATP events, including the last two in Buenos Aires. Fognini defeated Tommy Robredo of Spain 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, coming back from 6-3, 5-3 to oust the 2009 champ. Fognini won the ATP event last week in Chile, picking up his third singles title. He has reached the final in a fifth consecutive clay-court event since the French Open. — Agencies
