Qinwen Zheng wins in Tokyo and qualifies for the WTA Finals

TOKYO (AP) — Top-seeded Qinwen Zheng of China won the Toray Pan Pacific Open with a 7-6 (5), 6-3 victory over American wildcard Sofia Kenin in Sunday’s final and will advance to next month’s WTA final.

The number 7-ranked Zheng, who won gold at the Olympic Games in Parisfired 16 aces and conceded just one break point during the 1-hour, 52-minute victory in Tokyo over 2020 Australian Open champion Kenin.

It is the third title of the year for 22-year-old Zheng and the first on hard court, which she won last year in Guangzhou. Since Wimbledon, she has gone 28-4, including a 12-2 run in the Asian swing of the women’s tour.

It was the best performance of the season for 25-year-old Kenin. The American was ranked fourth at the beginning of 2020, but a series of injuries, including ankle and quadriceps complaints, have dropped her WTA ranking to the current 155.

The WTA Finals start on November 2 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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