Pan Pacific Open: China’s Zheng Qinwen beats American Sofia Kenin to claim Tokyo title
Olympic champion seals place in season-ending WTA Finals, while Kenin – who played with her right thigh strapped – can take many positives
China’s Zheng Qinwen produced near-flawless serves to defeat American Sofia Kenin 7-6(5), 6-3 and capture the Pan Pacific Open title on Sunday for her third trophy this season.
Zheng hit 33 winners and fired off 16 aces as she took the victory in an hour and 52 minutes under a closed roof after heavy rain interrupted the first set.
Zheng adds the Tokyo title to her wins in Palermo and the Paris Olympics this year. Victory also sealed her place in the season-ending WTA Finals.
The first set was a tightly fought encounter without a single break of serve, with Zheng failing to convert five breakpoints, but she was much more clinical in the tiebreak and clinched it with a vicious forehand winner.
The second set played out much differently as Zheng held to start and broke for 2-0 when Kenin netted a backhand, before consolidating that break to go 3-0 up.
Kenin, playing with her right thigh strapped, refused to go quietly and forced Zheng to defend her first breakpoint of the match, but the power and precision of the Chinese world No 7’s serve proved too much for the American.
