Kenin is a peer of Sabalenka, but it might seem that she is already behind her best years. In the 2019 season, the American scored a series of phenomenal performances, winning four tournaments in WTA. A year later she achieved the greatest success in her career when she turned out to be the best in Australian Open. In the same year she also played in the final of Roland Garros. It was a meeting memorable for Polish tennis fans, because Kenin faced Iga Świątek. For a Polish woman who beat her 6: 4, 6: 1, it was the first Grand Slam win in her career.
Kenin's problem is that five years have passed since those successes, and she still can't refer to them. After French Open 2020 she played in three finals of lower rank tournaments, but each time she left the court defeated. Although some consolation for the current 31st players of the WTA ranking may be that the last of the matches for the title took place this season in Charleston. There is better 6: 3, 7: 5 Jessica Pegula turned out to be.
Kenin played like in the best years. Sabalenka was frustrated and threatened
However, in the first set of the 1/16 match, the US tennis player looked like in the old days! It was not terrible that the best rocket of women's tennis is currently running on the other side of the net. From 2: 1 in games for Sabalenka, her rival won another 4 games, sometimes playing fantastic tennis.
However, it should be reflected that the Belarusian herself, who made a lot of mistakes, also participated in such a course of the meeting. Sometimes it seemed as if there was a huge frustration from every hit. Especially the first service, after which she won only 41% of points. After subsequent failures, Sabalenek could only eloquently look at the space with the expression of anger on her face, or in her style screaming with his head turned towards the surface of the court. However, these scenes were of no avail, because the first batch lost 3: 6, and the sensation hung in the air.
Champion's revival! Sabalenka won the nerve war
In the second set, the general game of the main favorite to win throughout the tournament also left much to be desired. Often she could not shoot the ball at the court, giving Kenin easy points. It was evident that this was not her day.
Despite these problems, Sabalenenko was able to focus on her own strengths in the second party. And its biggest became the service, which failed in the first set. However, when she improved this element, she began to set up rivals from across the ocean, which made more and more mistakes. Thus, it turned out that one, but a key aspect of tennis, completely changed the result and in the second set Sabalenka triumphed 6: 3.
The third set, in turn, showed the difference between a good tennis player, which Kenin is undoubtedly, and a champion like Sabalenka. The leader of the WTA ranking could be caught in an amazing way mentally. She easily won the first game, then on the return she put the rival to the wall. And although she bravely defended herself against losing the application, it was finally broken behind the seventh attempt.
Admittedly, after a while Kenin had unexpectedly easily broken back, but it was her last good accent in this meeting. Later, Sabalenenko dominated the court, which he saved in decisive moments – and how differently – the service. And although her game was far from ideal, it was also effective and allowed to win the last set 6: 2.
Marta Kostjuk will be the rival of Aryna Sabalenka in the 1/8 of the Internorsen Tournament, who defeated Leylah Fernandez 6: 4, 6: 2.