Qinwen Zheng defeats Sofia Kenin to win her third title of the season in Tokyo
China's Zheng Qinwen showcased exceptional serving skills to secure a victory over American Sofia Kenin with a score of 7-6, 6-3, thereby claiming the Pan Pacific Open title on Sunday, marking her third championship of the season.
Zheng delivered an impressive performance, hitting 33 winners and serving 16 aces, completing the match in one hour and 52 minutes under a closed roof due to heavy rain that interrupted the first set.
At just 22 years old, she adds the Tokyo title to her previous victories in Palermo and at the Paris Olympics this year.
The initial set was fiercely contested, with neither player managing to break serve, as Zheng missed five break point opportunities. However, she displayed greater precision during the tiebreak, winning it with a powerful forehand winner.
The second set unfolded differently, as Zheng quickly established a lead by holding serve and breaking Kenin for a 2-0 advantage after the American netted a backhand. Zheng then consolidated her break to extend her lead to 3-0.
Despite competing with her right thigh bandaged, Kenin demonstrated resilience by forcing Zheng to defend her first break point of the match. Nevertheless, the power and accuracy of Zheng's serve proved overwhelming for the American player.
With this victory, Zheng improved her record at the Pan Pacific Open to 8-1, having previously lost in the 2022 final to Liudmila Samsonova in her only other appearance at the tournament.
This triumph also marks her first hard-court title since winning the Zhengzhou Open last year, providing a significant confidence boost ahead of the upcoming WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia next month.
"I want to extend my congratulations to you. You performed admirably, and I noticed you were taped up and played through the pain; I understand that feeling. You fought valiantly on the court," Zheng expressed to Kenin.
Despite the loss, the 2020 Australian Open champion Kenin can take several positives from her performance in Tokyo, where she lost only one set on her way to the final and achieved a victory over world number nine Daria Kasatkina.
Kenin, who was the runner-up at the French Open in 2020 and reached a career-high ranking of number four that season, has faced challenges due to injuries, illness, and off-court issues that have affected her ranking.
In 2020, she secured the position of runner-up at the French Open and achieved a career-high ranking of number four during that season. However, subsequent injuries, health problems, and off-court challenges led to a decline in her rankings.
"I extend my gratitude to the tournament director for granting me the wildcard. I truly appreciate it," Kenin expressed. "Regrettably, I was unable to claim the title today, but I am very pleased with the week I experienced."
SportsLigue