Sofia Kenin reaches first final in more than a year at WTA 500 event in Tokyo, Zheng awaits

Sofia Kenin continued her late season revival in Tokyo on Saturday, reaching the final of the WTA 500 event—her first final in more than a year—with a 6-4, 6-4 semifinal victory over Katie Boulter.

And it’s actually more than just her first final in a year.

In the Japanese capital this week, the American had already reached her first semifinal—or even quarterfinal—since last September, when she made the semifinals in Guadalajara.

She came into the tournament ranked No. 155, but by virtue of her results so far, she’s projected to soar back into the Top 100 when the new rankings come out on Monday, just inside the Top 90. Should she go on to win the title, she could re-enter the Top 70.

The 2020 Australian Open champion is now through to the ninth tour-level final of her career, going 5-3 in her first eight.

SOFIA KENIN’S CAREER FINALS (tour-level):
Won 2019 Hobart (d. Schmiedlova in F)
R-Up at 2019 Acapulco (l. to Wang in F)
Won 2019 Mallorca (d. Bencic in F)
Won 2019 Guangzhou (d. Stosur in F)
Won 2020 Australian Open (d. Muguruza in F)
Won 2020 Lyon (d. Friedsam in F)
R-Up at 2020 Roland Garros (l. to Swiatek in F)
R-Up at 2023 San Diego (l. to Krejcikova in F)
TBD at 2024 Tokyo (vs. Zheng in F)

Awaiting former No. 4 Kenin in the final will be current No. 7 Zheng Qinwen, who battled past No. 16-ranked Diana Shnaider in two tight sets in the second semifinal of the day, 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Zheng is also through to her ninth career final, going 4-4 in her first eight and picking up two titles last year (Palermo and Zhengzhou) and two titles so far this year (Palermo and the Olympics).

Zheng and Kenin will be playing each other for the first time.

Kenin will go for the 13th Top 10 win of her career against the Chinese trailblazer, and her second of the week—she took out a No. 9-ranked Daria Kasatkina in the quarterfinals on Friday, 6-3, 6-4.