Italy’s Cocciaretto beats Kenin in Hobart to make first WTA final

HOBART (AFP): Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto upset former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 Friday to power into her first WTA singles final at the Hobart International.

She will face Lauren Davis in the title match after the American downed Russia’s Anna Blinkova 6-3, 6-3.

Cocciaretto, 21, fired 34 winners to overcome Kenin, who won the Hobart title in 2019 and the Australian Open a year later. This year’s Australian Open kicks off on Monday.

“It’s unbelievable for me to be here in the final of such a great tournament, and I’m really happy about my performance today,” said the Italian, who has risen nearly 100 spots in the rankings over the last year to 67.

“(Kenin is) a very good player, I was a junior when she won the Grand Slam, so for me it’s an honour to play against her.” American Kenin showed flashes of the brilliance that saw her rise to four in the world two years ago, before form deserted her and injuries added to her woes.

But it wasn’t enough to push through to another final.

“The first set, I took the chance to win the set, and then the second set, she was more focused, she was more aggressive than me. I think that’s why she won the second,” said Cocciaretto “Then I tried to change my game a little bit in the third, and it was really tough.” Davis, ranked 84, won her only singles title in Auckland in 2017. She has made two other finals, but not since 2016.