Injured Sofia Kenin left in tears during doubles drama, doubt for Pan Pacific Open Final

America’s Sofia Kenin was in tears after suffering an injury just a day before the final of the Japan Open. The 25-year-old is taking part in the WTA event in Tokyo, where she played in both singles and doubles categories.

In the singles category, Kenin booked her place in the final after beating Britain’s Katie Boulter in the last-four clash in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 6-4. On Saturday, Kenin featured in the doubles semifinal, where she, along with her partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands, were forced to retire in the first set against the pair of Germany’s Laura Siegemund and Japan’s Ena Shibahara.

Following that, Kenin was left in tears as her participation in Sunday’s final will remain uncertain. If she manages to take the court, she will have to play her best tennis to beat China’s Qinwen Zheng. The 22-year-old booked her place in the final of the competition after beating Russia’s Diana Shnaider in the last-four clash in straight sets with a score of 7-6, 6-3. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two in professional tennis.

Kenin’s injury could not have come at the wrong time, as this would have been her first final this year. Overall, the Moscow-born star has only managed to win just 12 out of 33 matches this year in 33 outings. The former world number four is a one-time Grand Slam winner. She lifted the Australian Open in 2020 after beating former world number one Spain’s Garbine Muguruza in the final with a score of 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.

Kenin’s performance this year in a major event has not been great as well. Despite playing in all Grand Slams, the one-time Grand Slam winner failed to book her place in the quarterfinal or beyond. Her best performance this year in a major event came at the French Open where she was knocked out after losing in the third round to Denmark’s Clara Tauson.