Sofia Kenin is the second teenager this week to cause a sensation at WTA tournaments, alongside Amanda Anisimova. The latter is already in the final in Hiroshima.
The weeks after the four majors are often used by the top stars of the scene to catch their breath, the scheduled tournaments on the WTA or ATP tour thus offer players a chance that they rarely find themselves in the later rounds in regular operation.
In the men’s event, the tournament is held at the highest level, the Davis Cup. The ladies are in Hiroshima and Quebec City. And in both tournaments, teenage girls are the talk of the town: in both Canada and Japan, for example, one lady under 20 is in the semi-finals.
In Quebec City, where they play in the hall, Sofia showed Kenin how to beat the Olympic champion of Rio de Janeiro, Monica Puig, 6:3 and 6:1 in less than an hour. Kenin, 19 years old and already in the semi-finals of a WTA tournament in Mallorca in early summer, will face compatriot Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals on Saturday, who won somewhat surprisingly against Petra Matric.
In Hiroshima they are one step ahead, even if the rain keeps delaying the game. Amanda Anisimova has reached a final on the WTA Tour for the first time in her career there. The semi-final match against Zhang Shuai suffered a little from the permanent delays caused by short showers, Anisimova kept his nerve.
The 17-year-old American, born in Russia, came into the main field after qualifying – Zhang Shuai in first place again. Anisimova fended off a set point in round one, finally winning 7:6 (4) and 7:5.
Here the single tableau in Quebec City
Here the single tableau in Hiroshima