Kenin to Face Zheng Qinwen in Madrid

At the WTA 1000 Madrid Open, Sofia Kenin cruised past Ashlyn Krueger in straight sets during the first round of the main draw. With this victory, Kenin—former Australian Open champion—earned her third singles win of the season and secured a spot in the second round. 

Kenin defeated Krueger 7-6, 6-4, moving forward to face China’s Zheng Qinwen, who enters the tournament as a seeded player and received a first-round bye. The upcoming match will mark Zheng's clay court season debut and is set to determine a place in the last 32.

This encounter will be the third meeting between Kenin and Zheng Qinwen. The two most recently met earlier this season in the opening round of the WTA 1000 Doha event, where Zheng, returning from injury, rallied for a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory. The pair also contested the final of the 2024 Tokyo tournament, with Zheng prevailing 7-6, 6-3. Their latest showdown is scheduled for this Friday.