American Sofia Kenin (15e world) won, saturday 1st February, the Australian Open – and thus won its first Grand Slam title – by defeating Spaniard Garbine Muguruza (32e) in three sets (4-6, 6-2, 6-2).
Kenin had never before reached the knockout stages in Major (Roland-Garros 2019) and was playing for the third time in Melbourne. On the road to the title, she notably beat the world number one, Ashleigh Barty, in the semi-finals.
"My dream has officially come true! If you have dreams, go get them: they can come true! " she launched on the court receiving her trophy. The American born in Moscow and arrived in New York as a child before settling with her family in Florida was more motivated and above all less nervous than the 26-year-old Spaniard who was aiming for her third Grand Slam trophy (after Roland- Garros 2016 and Wimbledon 2017).
Youngest winner since Maria Sharapova
Kenin won the game on an eighth double foul by Muguruza, the third in this last single game. She herself did not commit a single fault. Previously, in the third set, she had masterfully saved three consecutive break points at 2-2 by aligning five points in a row, before winning her service game (3-2) and taking the throw-in for Muguruza in the stride (4-2), already taking advantage of a double fault from the Spanish.
At 21 years and 80 days old, she is the youngest winner in Melbourne since Maria Sharapova, who was 20 years and 283 days old when she won in 2008. "Congratulations, Sofia, you played the whole tournament very well and we will see you often in the final", commented on Muguruza. Monday, Kenin must be 7e world and therefore number one American in front of Serena Williams. She is the youngest American to enter the top 10 since Serena on April 5, 1999.
Sofia Kenin was playing for the third time in Melbourne, like Martina Hingis when she won in 1997. Before the Swiss, Steffi Graf (1988) and Mary Pierce (1995) won their third participation. Monica Seles won in 1991 on her very first appearance. Muguruza, former world number one, will again become 16e at the WTA thanks to its Australian final.
