Guadalajara: Dolehide defeats Kenin, becomes second lowest-ranked WTA 1000 finalist

The dream week continues for 25-year-old Caroline Dolehide. The 111th-ranked American ousted Sofia Kenin 7-5, 6-3 on Friday night in Guadalajara to become the first player ranked outside the top 100 to reach a WTA 1000 final, and just the second all-time.

Dolehide, who rallied from a break down in both sets to take out the 2020 Australian Open champion, will play the winner of the match between Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia, the No 3 seed, and Greek Maria Sakkari, the second seed, next.

Dolehide was ranked 161 this time last year. She is projected to make her top-50 debut next week as a result of reaching the final, and could crack the top-30 with a title. Her previous career-high ranking entering this week was 99.

Five of her nine wins this season have come in succession this week in Guadalajara.

“Honestly I feel really confident in the work that I’ve put in,” said Dolehide. “Not only months, but literally years… It’s been a lot of hours and I just trust the process.”

Caroline Dolehide beat Peyton Stearns (6-7 (1), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (2)), lucky loser Sachia Vickery (6-3, 4-6, 6-1), Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova, the No 8 seed (6-1, 6-2) and Italian Martina Trevisan (3-6, 7-6 (9), 6-3) earlier in the tournament.

In the previous rounds, Kenin, ranked No 53, defeated Canadian qualifier Carol Zhao (6-4, 6-3), Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina, the No 12 seed (6-2, 7-6 (5)), Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, the No 6 seed (6-4, 7-5) and Canadian Leylah Fernandez (6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-1).