Sofia Kenin
SUMMERLIN (Oct. 1, 2016) – Both Sonya Kenin of Florida and Nadia Podoroska of Argentina battled tough, early afternoon windy conditions during their semifinal singles match on Saturday, with Kenin coming out on top in a nearly two-hour battle, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, at the eighth annual Red Rock Pro Open being played at the Red Rock Country Club.
Kenin, just 17 and still an amateur, moves on to Sunday’s final where she will face 22-year-old Alison Van Uytvanck, the tournament’s top-seeded player from Belgium. Van Uytvanck won the first set over 17-year-old Fanni Stollar of Hungary, 6-1, and with the score knotted at 3-all in the second set, Stollar waved the white surrender flag and was forced to retire because of pain in her left knee.
Stollar, wearing a partial wrap on her left knee, had received treatment on the injury for the past few days. She was playing her seventh match in seven days having qualified for the tournament, which started on Sunday.
Both Kenin and Podoroska were spraying balls out early on and both had to adjust to the swirling Vegas desert winds. “I just had to be patient and consistent because the conditions were pretty tough today,” Kenin said. “I just had to stay with it. I couldn’t control it so I had to just keep fighting.”
Kenin had never faced Podoroska in a match, but said practicing with her a few times helped her. “It definitely did,” she said. “I was able to get a feel for how she hits the ball. Plus I beat her in a couple of sets. So I knew I could beat her.”
Podoroska had six doubles faults to Kenin’s four in a match that was high on unforced errors because of the wind.
In the doubles final set for Sunday at 11 a.m., it will be American Jamie Loeb and Chanel Simmonds of South Africa against Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands and former USC All-American Maria Sanchez. The singles final will follow the doubles.
Saturday’s Semifinal Singles Scores
wc: wild card; q: qualifying;
Sonya Kenin (U.S.) [wc] def. Nadia Podoroska (Argentina), 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
Alison Van Uytvanck (Belgium) [1] def. Fanni Stollar (Hungary) [q], 6-1, 3-3, retired (injury)
Sunday’s Final Schedule
Doubles starting at 11 a.m. on Stadium Court
Jamie Loeb (U.S.) / Chanel Simmonds (South Africa) vs. Michaella Krajicek (Netherlands) / Maria Sanchez (U.S.)
Singles final to follow
Sonya Kenin (U.S.) [wc] vs. Alison Van Uytvanck (Belgium) [1]