Kenin cruises past Jabeur into first Grand Slam semifinal

American Sofia Kenin overcame her nerves and lack of challenges to advance to her first Major semifinal at the 2020 Australian Open.

The 14th seed faced unseeded Ons Jabeur in a highly competitive bout, defeating the Tunisian 6-4 6-4 in an hour and 33 minutes.

As the No.2 ranked American, Kenin is suddenly being thrust into the spotlight as a possible successor to Serena Williams. Being the first Arab woman to make it to the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam, Jabeur was also faced with tremendous pressure entering today's match.

Both Kenin and Jabeur were first-time Grand Slam quarterfinalists, but it was Kenin who refused to be overwhelmed by the magnitude of the situation. The young American continues to display poise and efficiency far beyond her years, as she maintained a consistent level of play throughout the entire match.

Conversely, Jabeur exhibited frustration that led to her committing 36 unforced errors. The Tunisian often relies on a variety of spins and slices to confound her opponents. However, she seemed content with trying to outhit Kenin, a strategy which backfired as she was unable to control her errors.

Kenin next faces the winner between World No.1 Ashleigh Barty and two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitová. Regardless of that outcome, the American will face her most difficult challenge yet as both ladies carry a pedigree that can only be attained by reaching the summit of women's tennis.

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