By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday September 15, 2023

 

Sofia Kenin reached her first WTA final since 2020 at San Diego on Friday evening.

Photo Source: Mark Peterson/ Corleve

Sofia Kenin battled past compatriot Emma Navarro to reach the Cymbiotika San Diego Open final, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4, setting a final with Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic.



Kenin needed two hours and 10 minutes to defeat Navarro, reaching her first final since Roland-Garros in October of 2020.

It was 61st-ranked Navarro's second career WTA semifinal - and her first on a hard court.

In a battle of former Grand Slam champions, 93rd-ranked Kenin will meet Barbora Krejcikova, who rallied to defeat Danielle Collins, from a set and a break down on Friday, 3-6,7-5, 6-2.

13th-ranked Krejcikova entered San Diego on a four-match losing streak that featured first-round losses at Wimbledon and the US Open.

Fourth-seeded Krejcikova won the pair’s only previous meeting at Rome, 6-4, 6-1, in 2021.