Sofia Kenin continues the rich vein of form at the Hobart International an impressive come-back win over Anhelina Kalinina to reach the semi-finals where she will meet Elisabetta Cocciaretto, who upset 6th-seeded Bernarda Pera, while Marie Blinkova upset Yulia Putintseva, the No 8 seed, and will play fellow qualifier Lauren Davis, a straight-sets winner over Lucky Loser Wang Xinyu.
Match after match I’m playing better and better. I hope I can keep it going. Sofia Kenin
Kenin, an American wild-carded into the draw, took out Kalinina, the 5th seed from Ukraine, 4-6 6-3 6-1, showing off some of the form that garnered her the Australian Open title 3 years ago.
Now ranked No 280, Kenin has endured illness, injury and off-court issues since winning her first major title, a feat that saw her rise to 29 in the world.
It is the American’s first semi-final at a WTA level or higher since her run to the final of the French Open in 2020.
“I just tried to keep on fighting,” said Kenin, the 2019 Hobart winner. “She’s a tough player to play. I knew I had to hang in there.
“Match after match I’m playing better and better. I hope I can keep it going.”
Earlier in the week, 24-year old Kenin said she was starting to feel like herself again on court, and somewhere near her best form.
She did not drop a set in wins over World No 85 Zhu Lin from China, and Belgian Maryna Zanevska, ranked 87, in the first and second rounds respectively.
Elisabetta Cocciaretto upset 6th-seeded Bernarda Pera to set up a Last 4 contest with Sofia Kenin in Hobart
Kenin will meet Italian 21-year-old Elisabetta Cocciaretto for a place in the final, who upset 3rd-seeded Alizé Cornet in the 1st-round, and scored a 5-7 7-6(8) 6-4 win over 6th-seeded Pera, saving 2 match points on the way.
Cocciaretto reached the Last 4of a tour-level event for the second time in her career, following Guadalajara 2021.
Qualifier Blinkova notched up her 17th win in her last 21 matches to defeat Kazakh Putintseva, 6-3 6-4, in the quarters, continuing her dominant run in Hobart, and she will face another qualifier in American Lauren Davis in the semi-finals.
Davis, who is ranked 84, saw off Wang, a Lucky Loser from China ranked 89, in straight sets, 6-3 6-3.
Anna Blinkova upset Yulia Putintseva, the No 8 seed, to set up a semi-final meeting with fellow-qualifier Lauren Davis
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