Barty served first, and for five games the pair went toe to toe, neither prepared to give ground on their serves.
At 2-3, Kenin had the first drama with which to deal.
A forehand miss and double fault saw her at 0-30. A wide backhand from Kenin gave Barty two break points. Both saved when Barty netted backhands. A third break point arrived following a Barty backhand winner, but her backhand return landed out and it was deuce. Kenin held on her second game point, Barty again finding the net with her backhand. 3-3.
At 5-5, Barty had her first difficulty on serve, surviving three deuces before holding. Kenin took it to a tie break.
The first two points went against serve, Kenin winning with a lob, then losing with a long forehand.
On serve until at 2-3 Kenin lost a point on her delivery to a Barty forehand down the line.
Serving at 4-3, Barty made a mess of a forehand and it was level again, but she won the next point on serve, a forehand winner this time.
At the line, and at 4-5, Kenin received a cross court forehand return winner from Barty and two set points arrived.
One was saved when Barty hit the net with her backhand. Barty served at 6-5, but Kenin passed her with a forehand. 6-6.
Kenin hit another forehand winner and led 7-6, with serve to come. Barty’s return hit the net and Kenin was ahead 7-6(6).
After two easy service holds in set two, Kenin was serving at 1-1. The American hit a forehand wide, Barty hit a backhand long, then a forehand return wide, but an Australian forehand winner down the line made it 30-30. A wonderful backhand winner from Barty produced a break point, and after Kenin hit her backhand long Barty achieved the break to lead 2-1.
Barty maintained that break, and neither player was taken to deuce, until the top seed went to the line at 5-4, serving for the set.
Kenin landed wide with her forehand, then a return hit the net. 30-0. Kenin chased down a drop shot, then an overhead forced a Barty error. 30-15. A rifled forehand from Barty drew an error from Kenin and two set points. Brilliance at the net from Kenin saved one. A Barty forehand was way long and it was deuce.
A Kenin return was too good, and Barty found the net. Break point. Saved when Kenin’s backhand was wide. A sizzling backhand pass gave Kenin another chance. Barty smashed a forehand into the net and was broken. 5-5.
An American love game put the pressure on Barty to stay in the match at 5-6.
Double fault and a wide Barty forehand. 0-30. Forehand winner from the top seed. 15-30. A mishit Barty forehand and two match points for Kenin. One saved with a forehand winner. The match was over when Barty hit a forehand long.
Sofia Kenin was victorious 7-6(6) 7-5, and marched into her first final at Grand Slam level, with it jumping into the world top ten.
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