Keys locks up champ Kenin

Washington, June 28: Madison Keys made it through another tense finish on Saturday, letting one match point slip before finishing off Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin 6-3, 5-7, 10-2 in the women’s tennis event in Charleston, South Carolina.

Keys, who would have been defending her 2019 Charleston WTA title earlier this year if the Coronavirus pandemic hadn’t halted play on the women’s tennis tour, had overcome a late lapse on Thursday in a 6-1, 6-7 (6/8), 10-4 victory over fellow American Caroline Dolehide.

She said the tight finishes in the 16-player team event, being played with strict social distancing protocols and with no spectators, would stand her in good stead when the WTA resumes in Palermo on August 3.

She was up two breaks at 4-0 in the second set, and held a match point against Kenin’s serve in the ninth game that she couldn't convert.

“I know that these matches come in handy later, once the tour comes back and (I’m) just using that as an opportunity and not being too hard on myself,”

● Madison Keys let one match point slip before defeating Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin 6-3, 5-7, 10-2 in the women’s tennis event in Charleston, South Carolina.

Keys said after a hardfought win.

The match pitted the topranked players to feature in the team event, which is being played on the same green clay courts that host the annual WTA Charleston event.

Kenin, who won her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January, is ranked fourth in the world while Keys is ranked 13th.

“When you play someone like (Kenin) you know that she is going to up her levels, especially when it matters. She definitely did that at the end of the second set,” Keys said.

Later, Jennifer Brady beat Sloane Stephens 6-3, 76 (7/4) while the contest between Bethanie MattekSands and Shelby Rogers was halted by rain.