Sofia Kenin will meet Iga Swiatek in the finals of this year’s French Open. The American beat Petra Kvitova in the semifinals today, while Swiatek eliminated Nadia Podoroska prior to that event.
Kenin was better than the two-time Grand Slam champion, earning a 2-0 win, 6-4, 7-5, after one hour and 43 minutes of play. This will be her second Slam finals this year, after winning in Melbourne at the start of the season.
The American was much better under pressure, saving 10 of Kvitova’s 12 break points, while on the other side, breaking her serve on four occasions.
The first set saw an early burst from Kenin, who got a 4-1 lead, which was the difference in that part of the battle. Kvitova had a chance for a break in the eighth game, but the 21-year old rebuffed that attack.
A much more interesting scenario took place in the second set. The players would protect services early on, with Kvitova missing a chance to draw the first blood fourth game and create a break. Already in the next one, the American punished her rival, taking away her serve and making what would be a crucial factor in this sequence. Kvitova then had four break chances in the next game, failing to use a single one.
Semifinals at Roland Garros will stay as her personal best at this tournament.
Kenin faces the 19-year old Iga Swiatek in the finals. The teenager from Poland doesn’t have any WTA trophies, but performs superbly since the start of the tournament. Swiatek didn’t lose a single set, allowing the rivals to win 23 games combined in seven contests.
She rolled over Nadia Podoroska in the semifinals, 6-2, 6-1 earlier today, after 72 minutes of play. Even though her first serve was just 53% percent, the Argentinian opponent didn’t have the slightest chances of winning. Swiatek was dominant in rallies, quickly imposing her rhythm, while on the other side, Podoroska seemed confused and stunned at first, and helpless as time went by.
In the end, the difference in points was 61-34 for the winner, and that pretty much says everything.
Swiatek became the first player from Poland to reach the finals of Roland Garros in the Open era. The previous two were in doubles, which makes her achievement even greater.
The finals are set for Saturday at 9 am ET, and 3 pm local time in Paris.