(Reuters) – A solid Sofia Kenin knocked fifth-seeded Irina-Camelia Begu out of the Tennis in the Land tournament on Tuesday as the American looks to find her form and add a second Grand Slam trophy to her case when the U.S. Open kicks off next week.
The 2020 Australian Open champion has suffered back-to-back first round exits at her last two U.S. Open tune-up events but has looked much better in Cleveland, winning 70% of her first serve points and saving four of the five break points she faced against the Romanian.
Kenin, whose father Alex returned to her coaching team earlier this year, will next face either top-seeded 2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova or American Bernarda Pera in the quarterfinals.
Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Poland’s Magda Linette, France’s Alize Cornet and Russia’s Ludmilla Samsonova also advanced at the WTA 250 event on Tuesday.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
