Surprise-Package Kenin in Dreamland After Stunning Australian Open Win
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Tayf wins HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy (Gr3 PA) PAGE 15 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020 Surprise-package Kenin in dreamland after stunning Australian Open win AFP MELBOURNE ‘She cannot AMERICA’S Sofia Kenin stunned two-time Major watch’ – champion Garbine Muguruza It’s just such an honour to win the Australian Open on Kenin calls Saturday, completing a sur- to have my name on prise run where she came from that beautiful trophy, superstitious nowhere to lift her first Grand it’s something I’ve Slam title. mother to Despite making her de- dreamed about. but in a Major final Kenin, 21, showed all her trademark ag- – Sofia Kenin break news gression as she fought back AFP from a set down to win 4-6, MELBOURNE 6-2, 6-2 in 2hrs 3mins against the shellshocked Spaniard. SOFIA Kenin had to call The 14th seed, who will her superstitious mother to now jump to seventh in the break the news she’d won world and usurp Serena Wil- the Australian Open on liams as America’s number Saturday because she re- one, was in tears at the end fuses to watch on TV, fear- and headed straight for her ing it will bring bad luck. father Alexander, who is her YOUNG AND The 21-year-old’s fa- coach. ther is her coach but the It was the final twist in ROARING rest of the family was back a tournament of upsets, af- KENIN IS THE YOUNGEST in the United States as ter Williams crashed out in AUSTRALIAN OPEN Kenin announced herself the third round and Kenin CHAMPION SINCE MARIA to the sporting world with beat Australia’s world num- her first Grand Slam title. ber one Ashleigh Barty in the SHARAPOVA – HER IDOL The 14th seed showed semi-finals. – WON AGED 20 IN 2008. all her trademark battling “It’s just such an honour to qualities to stun two-time have my name on that beauti- Grand Slam champion ful trophy, it’s something I’ve Garbine Muguruza 4-6, dreamed about,” said Mos- 6-2, 6-2 in Melbourne. cow-born Kenin. “I called her right af- “Of course it’s an exciting ter the match just to tell moment for me and for my her that everything’s fine, family, I get to share this. I won, she can just relax “Obviously things are go- now,” a beaming Kenin ing to change for me, but we’re told reporters, glass of just going to move forward, get champagne in hand, refer- ready for next tournaments. ring to mother Lena. “Right now we got to figure “She’s been really out how to celebrate.” stressed at home, very su- Former world number Sofia Kenin of the US kisses the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup after winning against Spain’s Garbine Muguruza in their women’s singles final of the Australian Open in Melbourne perstitious. “I told her I’m one Muguruza was unseeded on Saturday. (AFP) not going to be able to talk for the first time at a Slam to you for hours, but at since 2014, having suffered a Kenin fights back Muguruza took the first set in The aggressive Kenin Into the deciding set and Union in 1987 to give the fam- least you know that I won. marked loss of form in the last Muguruza drew first blood at 52 minutes when the young upped the ante in the second the gutsy Kenin saved three ily a better life – filmed her “I’m coming home, 18 months. Rod Laver Arena, where the American planted her fore- set, breaking her more experi- game points in a pivotal fifth victory speech on his phone. you can give me the big- The 26-year-old was re- roof was closed for rain in hand out. enced opponent in the fourth game, tossing the ball back “I love you guys from the gest hug of your life.” surgent in Melbourne over the Melbourne, getting the first Kenin, not one to hide her game and easily holding to over her head by way of a defi- bottom of my heart, thank you At least Lena did not past fortnight, but after grab- break of serve. feelings on court, said that she sprint into a 4-1 lead. ant celebration. so much,” she told the crowd. suffer alone and was ac- bing the first-set lead her serve Kenin, who ended the fair- had struggled to rein in her Kenin, who won their only Kenin adds by far the big- At 21 years and 80 days, companied by Kenin’s failed her spectacularly. ytale run of 15-year-old Coco emotions at that point. previous encounter in three gest title of her fast-burgeon- Kenin is 22 days younger than grandmother, sister and She totted up eight double- Gauff on her way to the final, “I was obviously devastated, sets, grabbed the second set ing career to the three WTA Japan’s Naomi Osaka when the family dogs back faults in all, three of them in bounced her American stars- I knew I didn’t take my chanc- in an emphatic 32 minutes. crowns she won last year. she won the title last year. in Florida. “They don’t the final game -- including one and-stripes racquet on the es,” she said. “I knew I needed A rattled Muguruza was seen “The past two weeks have Kenin is the youngest Aus- watch, my mom cannot on the second championship hardcourt in anger. to somehow forget what hap- briefly by a physio for what been the best of my life,” she tralian Open champion since watch me,” said Moscow- point, handing the title to her The 2016 French Open pened, just move forward and appeared to be a lower-back told Rod Laver Arena, as her Maria Sharapova – her idol – born Kenin. “It’s fine.” younger opponent. and 2017 Wimbledon winner just keep believing in myself.” problem. father – who left the Soviet won aged 20 in 2008. Kasintseva, 14, claims Grand Muguruza ‘smiling inside’ Slam first for tiny Andorra AFP for form. AFP 6-2, 6-2 in 2hrs 4mins. MELBOURNE “I’m just taking it easy af- MELBOURNE “It was a very tough tour- ter these two years,” she said. nament, I actually didn’t GARBINE Muguruza said she “The media has been tough FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD think that I would win,” said was “smiling inside” despite on me, I have to say. Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva Jimenez Kasintseva, who di- giving up a one-set lead in los- “I don’t read a lot of became the first Andorran to vides her time between the ing the Australian Open final things, but I really felt that capture a title at a Grand Slam tiny European state – sand- to fiery American 14th seed people... Today people will when she won the Australian wiched between Spain and Sofia Kenin on Saturday. say very good things about Open girls’ tournament on France – and Barcelona, The 26-year-old Span- me, and the next week bad Saturday. where her father has a tennis iard was unseeded at a Grand things if you lose.” Jimenez Kasintseva, who academy. Slam for the first time since The Venezuelan-born was the youngest player in “I guess I fought a lot for 2014 but defied low expecta- Spaniard also bristled at the the draw and was making her it. I was about to lose in some Andorra’s Victoria Jimenez Kas- tions and a torrid 18 months notion that reaching the Mel- Grand Slam debut, beat 17-year- matches, and I just kept fight- intseva with the Australian Junior to come within one victory of bourne final meant that she old Pole Weronika Baszak 5-7, ing. I guess that’s how I won.” Singles Girls trophy. (AFP) a third Major. was “back”. Kenin, 21 and playing “Back? Hmm, okay. If her first Grand Slam final, people see it because I’m in a defeated Muguruza 4-6, 6-2, Grand Slam final, that makes 6-2 to cap a tournament of sense,” she said. Krejcikova and Mektic win mixed doubles surprises in the women’s “But I feel like I was play- draw in Melbourne. ing a lot of tournaments. I was DPA “I think right now it’s on the tour, guys, I didn’t dis- MELBOURNE tough to have a big smile, appear, I was there.” though I’m smiling inside,” Muguruza totted up eight NUMBER five seeds Barbora said the former French Open double-faults, the last one Krejcikova and Nikola Mek- and Wimbledon champion. handing the title to Kenin. It tic on Saturday defeated two- Muguruza won just one was an anti-climax to her title time US Open champions match in the last six months bid, but the Spaniard had no Bethanie Mattek-Sands and of 2019 and was ranked 36 regrets. Jamie Murray 5-7, 6-4, 10-1 to in the world at the end of “I try to have a good per- win the mixed doubles title at the year. spective and not be too dra- the Australian Open. She will now climb back to matic,” she said. Czech Republic’s Kre- 16, but it is still a far cry from “Okay, you lost the match, jcikova was the defending when she topped the world was important one. But, hey, Melbourne champion, having rankings in 2017. I’m here, I gave myself a Croatia’s Nikola Mektic (right) and Czech Republic’s Barbora Krejcikova won last year with American Spain’s Garbine Muguruza reacts holding the runner-up trophy after Muguruza said she felt chance to be in a final.