Hobart, Jan 13 (AP) Former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin was beaten on Thursday in the semifinals of the Hobart International by Elisabetta Cocciaretto 7-5, 4-6, 6-1.

Kenin won the Australian Open in 2020. The Hobart WTA tournament is a major warm-up for the Australian Open which begins Monday.

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In the Hobart final, the 21-year-old Cocciaretto will face Lauren Davis. Davis defeated Anna Blinkova 6-3, 6-3 in the other semifinal.

“It's unbelievable to be in the final,” Cocciaretto said. “It was unexpected. She (Kenin) is a very good player.”

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Kenin has been battling back from injuries and a slump in her performance. The tournament was a step in the right direction.

“I feel like overall I played well,” Kenin said. “It was a good tournament for me. I enjoyed coming back again.” AP

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)