Kenin captures second title of 2020 at Lyon

Reigning Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin had plenty to celebrate on 2020 International Women's Day, as the 21-year-old American defeated Anna-Lena Friedsam of Germany, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4, to capture the title at the inaugural Open 6 ème Sens – Métropole de Lyon in Lyon, France.

The victory gave Kenin her first championship since winning in Melbourne in January, and her fifth career title overall. She is the first WTA player to win two titles in 2020.

Kenin, the tournament's top seed, overcame multiple hurdles throughout the week before claiming the title on Sunday. She saved a match point in her second-round match against Romanian qualifier Jaqueline Cristian and needed nearly two hours to advance past home-country favorite Oceane Dodin, 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-2, in the quarterfinals.

In the semifinals, Kenin played three tiebreak sets in a 7-6 (5), 6-7 (2), 7-6 (2) victory over Belgian Alison Van Uytvanck, before her three-set, one-hour, 49-minute win over Friedsam in the final.

"Every match was a close one, and I had to really fight through," Kenin told WTATennis.com following the Lyon championship. "Every player I played put up a tough fight against me, and I was able to play my game, which was good. I'm happy that I came here—it was a good decision from my side. ... I wanted to get enough match play going into Indian Wells and Miami."
 

Kenin, who is currently at No. 5 in the WTA rankings, and Friedsam, who is ranked 45th in the world in doubles and No. 136 in singles, were meeting for the first time.

In addition to winning the Australian Open and Lyon this year, the American also captured three titles in 2019, at Hobart, Mallorca and Guangzhou.

Photo credit: Alexandre Hergott/Open 6ème Sens - Métropole de Lyon