Sofia Kenin Defeats Garbine Muguruza To Clinch Her Maiden Grand Slam Title at Australian Open 2020

Two weeks ago, nobody could have imagined Garbine Muguruza playing for her third Grand Slam and the unseeded player turned out to be the dark horse at Australian Open 2020. In the women’s final in Melbourne, the debutant major finalist, Sofia Kenin defeated the two-time Grand Slam champion Muguruza 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. With her first Slam victory, Kenin will break into the top-ten WTA rankings.

Set one: Garbine Muguruza sealed the set 6-4!

The American Sofia Kenin opened the first set, she was staying in the long rallies and just waited for Garbine Muguruza to commit mistakes. Kenin held her serve to 15. Later with some serve and volley tennis, the Spaniard held at 1-1.

The first breakpoint of the championship rose on Kenin’s serve, she came up with a long groundstroke and dropped it on the baseline and she saved it with aggression. However, the two-time Grand Slam champion was not settling for a return game loss. She forced the debutant in a major final, Kenin to make mistakes and led by a break at 2-1.

Despite committing double faults in the next game, Garbine Muguruza capitalized her serve for a 3-1 lead. The feisty Spaniard seemed unstoppable. 

At 4-2, Muguruza had three break chances as Kenin delivered a game of error-strewn tennis. Keeping her cool and composure, she resued herself from going a double break down and produced a courageous hold at 4-3. In the next game, the Spaniard committed double faults in the set, and settled for a 4-4 scoreline.

Muguruza converted her second break point (out of the nine she faced in the set) and inched closer towards the first set at 5-4. And within a few minutes, the Spaniard was a set away from her third Grand Slam title.

Set two: Sofia Kenin roared back

The set had their usual beginning but the World Number 15 Sofia Kenin turned it around. Muguruza’s level of intensity dropped in the set and Kenin led by a break at 3-1.

The young American came up with massive strokes from the baseline, keeping all her services impeccable, Kenin backed up her break for a 4-1 lead. With Muguruza losing control on her serves, Kenin continued with her remarkable tennis and comfortably sealed it at 6-2.

Final set: New champion Sofia Kenin!

After dropping the set, Garbine Muguruza called a trainer for her back issues. The beginning of the deciding set saw Muguruza’s experience and Kenin’s nervousness.

The American seemed in a hurry to wrap up the match, but the Spaniard was patiently playing every ball. Kenin’s rush gave rise to three break points at 2-2, but the American played some unbelievable tennis to capture five points in a row. She slammed four winners and once ace and protected her service game for a 3-2 lead.

With Garbine Muguruza double-faulting Sofia Kenin held the break lead at 4-2. Again an error-strewn game led the Spaniard nowhere and she landed committing a double fault on the championship point.