Sofia Kenin, suddenly surging, tops Begu to reach Cleveland quarter-finals

Wins have been extremely hard to come by for American Sofia Kenin in 2022 – until this week. The American wildcard notched her second consecutive win on Tuesday, defeating Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu, the No 5 seed, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the last 8 of the Tennis in the Land at Cleveland’s iconic Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica in Flats West Bank on Tuesday night.

Kenin, ranked No 415, entered the event riding a dismal nine-match winning streak, but is now into her second quarter-final of 2022, and first since early January. She will play the winner of the match between Czech Barbora Krejcikova, the top seed, and American Bernarda Pera next.

Kenin, who was ranked 12 in the world in January, has suffered her share of injuries. In 2021 there was an appendectomy, foot issues, and Covid-19. This year she was bothered by an ankle injury that had her in a boot for three weeks, and kept her off the tour from mid-March to August.

Since making her return at the Citi Open, Kenin had lost three straight matches, to Camila Osorio in D.C., Sloane Stephens in Toronto and Shelby Rogers in Cincinnati.

Ahead of her victory, the American won against qualifier Dalayna Hewitt (6-4, 6-3).

Begu, ranked No 34, defeated American wildcard Peyton Stearns (6-4, 6-3) in the previous round.

Cleveland WTA 250, other second-round results (Cleveland’s iconic Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica in Flats West Bank, hard, USD 251.750, most recent results first):

• Shuai Zhang vs. Martina Trevisan
• Laura Siegemund vs. Liudmila Samsonova
• Barbora Krejcikova vs. Bernarda Pera
• Madison Brengle vs. Ekaterina Alexandrova
• Sorana Cirstea vs. Magda Linette
• Alize Cornet (8) beat Clara Tauson: 6-3, 7-6 (1)
• Aliaksandra Sasnovich (7) beat Sara Sorribes Tormo: 4-6, 6-3, 6-3