Barbora Krejcikova defeated Danielle Collins 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, and Sofia Kenin crushed Emma Navarro 6-2, 6-2, setting up the final showdown at the San Diego Open.
The 4th seed, Krejcikova (13th in the world rankings), had suffered three consecutive first-round defeats during the hardcourt swing but made a triumphant return in San Diego. She secured victories over world No. 28 Anhelina Kalinina (28th) and Beatriz Haddad Maia (20th) before turning the tables on Danielle Collins (43rd) in a thrilling match, winning 3-6, 7-5, 6-2. Collins had previously eliminated Louisa Chirico (213th), world No. 16 Jelena Ostapenko (16th), and Caroline Garcia (10th).
The first set saw Collins consistently ahead, with two breaks in the second and fourth games, while Krejcikova managed only one break in the third game. Collins displayed strong serving and clinched the set 6-3, capitalizing on crucial moments with two breaks.
The second set was evenly contested, with each player securing a break in the first two games. Both held their serves for the next nine games, and Collins was unable to take the set to a tiebreak. Krejcikova capitalized on errors in Collins' service game, secured a set point, and leveled the match at 7-5.
In the third set, Krejcikova dominated, achieving three breaks in three opportunities, ultimately winning 3-6, 7-5, 6-2. The former French Open champion secured her return to the top 10, surpassing Caroline Garcia, and is set to play in her third final of the year, having been the champion at the WTA 1000 Dubai Open and the runner-up at the WTA 250 Birmingham Classic.
Sofia Kenin (93rd) had a remarkable week in San Diego, reaching a WTA tournament final for the first time since the 2020 French Open, where she lost to Iga Swiatek. On her way to the final, she defeated Veronika Kudermetova (18th), Katie Volynets (117th), and Anastasia Potapova (27th).
The young Emma Navarro, aged 22, who entered the tournament through the qualifiers, caused an upset in the quarter-finals by defeating Maria Sakkari (9th). Navarro's ranking is on the rise, as she started the year ranked at world No. 149 and is set to climb to world No. 49 after her semifinal performance, marking her career-best ranking.
In their match, Kenin initially dominated, with Krejcikova winning five consecutive games, including two breaks, to take a 5-1 lead. Both players then held their serves, and Kenin claimed the first set 6-2 in just 30 minutes.
Kenin once again secured an early break and a 3-2 lead in the second set. Navarro won three consecutive games, giving her a chance to take the set with her serve. However, Kenin saved five set points, maintaining the suspense with a 5-5 score. Despite this, Navarro secured a new break to avoid a tiebreak and leveled the match with a 7-5 score.
The third set featured more irregularities in the serving of both players, with five breaks in the first six games. Kenin took a 4-2 lead. Defending her serve, the American managed to secure the victory with a final score of 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.
In the final, Kenin and Krejcikova will face each other for the second time in their careers, with their previous encounter occurring in the second round of the 2021 Rome Open, where Krejcikova emerged victorious. However, this will be their first meeting on a hardcourt surface.
American Sofia Kenin reaches her 1st WTA final since the 2020 French Open by defeating American qualifier Emma Navarro in San Diego 6-2 5-7 6-4 Will face Barbora Krejcikova on Saturday What a great tournament for Navarro, who'll break into the top 50 on Monday #getty
