Tokyo, October 27 (IANS). China’s Zheng Qianwen won the Pan Pacific Open title by defeating American Sophia Kenin 7-6(5) 6-3 on Sunday.
With the win, Zheng won her third title and first hard-court win of the season. It took him an hour and 52 minutes to defeat the 2020 Australian Open champion in the first clash of his career with the American player.
Zheng had already won two clay-court titles this year, won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics and successfully defended her Palermo title. However, it was the Chinese No. 1’s first hard-court title since winning in Zhengzhou a year earlier.
In Sunday’s final, Zheng was almost perfect on serve, never facing a break and giving up only one break point. The top player of 2024 hit an impressive 16 aces, taking her season total to 406.
“I want to congratulate you. You did a great job, I saw you playing despite being injured, I understand that feeling. You fought a lot on the court,” Zheng said of Kenin.
Former world No. 4 Kenin challenged Zheng in the opening set as the American sought her first title since her breakthrough season in 2020. Kenin saved all five break points in the first set, forcing Zheng to go to a tiebreak.
Zheng accepted the challenge and secured the tiebreak with a forehand winner after 67 minutes. She won 100 percent of her first service point in the first set (21–21), leaving Kenin with no opening on the return.
Kenin earned her only break point in the second set at 4–2, but Zheng erased it with a powerful serve that went without return. With the score at 5–3, Zheng sealed the victory by hitting championship point with a quick reflex volley following Kenin’s long shot.
-IANS
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