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By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, January 30, 2020

 
Sofia Kenin

Sofia Kenin saved two set points in each set shocking world No. 1 Ash Barty 7-6 (6), 7-5 to battle into her first Grand Slam final at the Australian Open.

Mark Peterson/Corleve

Overshadowed throughout this fortnight, a spirited Sofia Kenin stepped into the Grand Slam spotlight and lit it up with blazing desire.

A feisty and fearless Kenin fought off two set points in each set shocking world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty 7-6(6), 7-5 battling into her first major final at the Australian Open.

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Flipping her red, white and blue Babolat racquet aside after rallying to a one hour, 45-minute win, Kenin covered her face with her hands in astonishment then broke into the wide grin of a woman arriving in the Grand Slam promised land.




"Oh my God it means eveyrthing," Kenin told ESPN's Pam Shriver afterward. "I'm just so speechless. I've dreamed about this moment since I was little to play a Grand Slam final.

"I was fighting. Ash was playing some great tennis and she came up with some great shots at those critical points. I really needed to battle out there and fight it was such a great match."

The 21-year-old Kenin toppled a world No. 1 for the third time becoming the youngest woman since Ana Ivanovic in 2008 to make the Melbourne final. 

Kenin will face either Wimbledon champion Simona Halep or two-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza in Saturday's final.

It's a gut-wrenching loss for Barty, who held set points at 6-4 in the tie breaker and earned another two set points at 5-4 in the second set only to see Kenin break for the first time all day. 

The Roland Garros champion could have won the match in straight sets, but scattered 36 unforced errors and looked tight at times playing before an enthusiastic home crowd. Once Barty blinked serving for the second set, Kenin streaked through 10 of the final 12 points beating Barty for the second time in six meetings.

The Pembroke Pines, Florida baseliner is the first American aside from the Williams sisters to reach the Australian Open final since Lindsay Davenport did it back in 2005.




Scorching heat spiked major semifinal nerves creating a broiler on Rod Laver Arena as two players known as control arts struggled to keep the ball a play on the hottest day of the tournament.

"It was tough," Kenin said. "I hadn't played in this heat for two weeks. I'm from Miami. I'm used to this weather. I have kind of an advantage. The heat didn't really bother me. I jsut tried to focus on every point."

In a match pitting the top seed's versatility and all-court acumen against Kenin's sharp return game and impeccable timing, the 21-year-old American tried battering Barty's backhand at critical stages.

The serve is the biggest difference between the pair. Barty, who can sting every spot in the box, took the court with a tournament-best 29 aces. Kenin is a solid but unimposing server.

Clad in identical green-and-blue Fila outfits, both women were understandably tight at the outset.

Though her slice backhand was finding the net early, Barty blasted through a four-ace game for 3-2.

Digging in near the baseline, Kenin attacked the top-seeded Aussie's backhand saving three break points to level after six games.

Tension escalated in the 11th game as Barty fell into a love-30 hole. Two points from serving for the set, Kenin slapped a forehand down the line into net squandering a shot at triple break point. In a nervy game, Barty settled in and smacked her seventh ace holding for 6-5.

Deadlocked at 30-all in the ensuing game, Kenin overshot the mark with a forehand, but no call came and Barty did not challenge. The 14th-seeded American battled through to force the tie breaker.

Deadlocked at 4-4 in the breaker, Barty rapped a forehand winner down the line then ripped a forehand return winner off a 78 mph second serve for double set point. A disgusted Kenin bounced her Babolat racquet off the court dislodging the dampener in the process.

On the first set point, Barty netted that troublesome slice and on the second set point Kenin angled off a sharp backhand return setting up a forehand winner.




A revitalized Kenin ran down drop shot and finished with a forehand drive for set point. When Barty ran around her backhand and flattened a forehand into net, Kenin stole the 59-minute opening set with a "come on!"

The top-seeded Aussie hit 10 more winners—22 to 12—and earned three break points to none for her opponent yet had nothing to show for it.

Resetting, Barty began to let her shots fly a bit more freely. The Roland Garros champion scored the first break on a Kenin error and worked through a confirmation hold for a 3-1 second-set lead.




Recalling the young Ken Rosewall, Barty slid successive slice passes down the line in a sign she was finally feeling the backhand. That sequence helped her hold for 4-2.

Serving for the second set at 5-4, Barty earned double set point but could not buy a first serve as Kenin denied both. Leaning low, Kenin crunched a backhand pass for break point.

Landing just two first serves in the game, Barty swooped forward and netted a forehand drive volley dropping serve for the first time all day in demoralizing fashion.

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Five months ago in Toronto, Kenin broke serve six times stunning Barty, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4, to race into the Rogers Cup round of 16 with her first career Top 5 victory.

When closing time came today, Kenin was not fazed by the magnitude of the moment. Roaring through 11 of 12 points, Kenin took a love-30 lead on Barty's serve. The world No. 1 ballooned a forward long eliciting a collective groan from the crowd as Kenin earned double match point.

A 17-shot rally saw Barty boldly drive a forehand winner to save the first match point.

On the second match point, Barty sailed a running forehand long as Kenin dropped her Babolat racquet and held her hands to her face as if blown away by this achievement. Kenin's box, including her father and coach, Alexander, and former world No. 1 Dinara Safina, were beaming from above.

"She such a tough player," Kenin said. "I know she's playing really, really amazing. I knew I really had to find a way to win. This wasn't an easy one, but I'm so grateful and thankful for this moment."

 

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