(Reuters) – Zheng Qinwen saw off a spirited challenge from Diana Shnaider to secure a hard-fought 7-6(5) 6-3 win in their Pan Pacific Open semi-final on Saturday and set up a title clash against American Sofia Kenin.
Zheng sealed a spot in the final in Tokyo for a second time in her career, where she will be looking to make amends for her 2022 defeat to Liudmila Samsonova.
The Olympic champion wasted little time in the semi-final, breaking twice in quick succession to race into a 4-0 lead and put Shnaider on the backfoot, but a drop in Zheng’s level gave the Russian an opportunity to claw her way back into the contest.
Shnaider won three straight games to leave the opening set at 4-3, before defending three set points to hold under pressure for 5-4 and then saving another to break Zheng’s serve for a second time and level at 5-5.
Zheng recovered to force a tiebreak, where the 22-year-old won three consecutive points to take the opening set.
Early in the second set, Zheng’s first-serve percentage plummeted and Shnaider broke for 2-1, but the top seed broke right back and again for a 4-2 lead which she would not relinquish.
Earlier, 2020 Australian Open champion Kenin eased past British number one Katie Boulter 6-4 6-4 in just under 90 minutes to reach her first singles final since San Diego last year.
Kenin, 25, also finished runner-up at the French Open in 2020 and reached a career-high number four that season, before injuries, illness and off-court issues saw her drop down the rankings.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Nashik, India; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
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