Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin beat Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 to win the inaugural Lyon WTA event on Sunday. American Kenin, ...
Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin beat Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 to win the inaugural Lyon WTA event on Sunday.
American Kenin, the tournament top seed, took one hour and 49 minutes to beat her 136th-ranked German opponent. The victory will lift Kenin to fourth in the women’s rankings on Monday.
It was the 21-year-old’s second tournament victory of the year and the fifth of her career. Kenin had not won a tour match since her victory in Melbourne, losing in the first round in Dubai and Doha.
In Lyon four of her five matches went to three sets. She saved a match point against Jaqueline Cristian in the second round and in her semi-final against the Belgian Alison Van Uytvanck on Saturday every set went to a tiebreak.
On Sunday, Kenin made 42 unforced errors against Friedsam, a 26-year-old who is moving back up the rankings after undergoing two shoulder surgeries.
“I’m going home with a win, which is very good.” said Kenin. “I’m very happy to have won after a good week. It hasn’t been easy. All the matches were very hard-fought.”
Kenin will now devote herself to the American leg of the tour.
“After two losses in the first round, my goal was to play enough games...
