Sofia Kenin qualified for her first singles final of 2024, defeating Katie Boulter of Great Britain 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday to set up a finals showdown with top seed Qinwen Zheng at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.
Kenin, who won the 2020 Australian Open and reached No. 4 in the world that season, has been derailed by injuries and other issues since. But with her defeat of the ninth-seeded Boulter in just under 90 minutes, she will compete in her first singles final since San Diego in 2023. She last won a tournament in 2020.
Zheng, of China, will be making her second appearance in the finals of the tournament after defeating Russia’s Diana Shnaider 7-6 (5), 6-4. Zheng took a 4-0 lead in the first set before Shnaider fought back and forced a tiebreaker.
Guangzhou Open
Serbian Olga Danilovic reached her first hard-court WTA Tour final after her semifinal opponent, top seed Katerina Siniakova, was forced to retire deep in the match in China.
Siniakova had been unwell during the match, calling for medics in the first set, before retiring with Danilovic up 4-6, 6-4, 4-3. The Czech walked gingerly toward the net, holding her right side, where she exchanged a long hug with Danilovic.
The Serbian’s opponent will be qualifier Caroline Dolehide, who saved four match points to defeat Italian Lucia Bronzetti 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (9). In the deciding set, Bronzetti was up 5-3 and serving for the match but was broken twice, leading to the tiebreaker.
Down 6-3 in the tiebreaker, Dolehide fended off four consecutive match points, then won on her third match point.
