Wakana Sonobe has become the first Japanese player to win the Australian Open girls’ singles title.
The 17-year-old, in her fastest singles match of the tournament, took just 54 minutes to down American doubles champion Kristina Penickova 6-0, 6-1.
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The emphatic victory came a day after Sonobe beat home hero and No.1 seed Emerson Jones to book her place in the final.
Her family travelled from Saitama, a prefecture on the outskirts of Tokyo, to be courtside with coach Ryuji Hirooka at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday afternoon.
Sonobe was contesting her second Grand Slam girls’ singles final, having finished runner-up to Mika Stojsavljevic at the US Open last year. She is just the second Japanese player to claim a junior singles title at Melbourne Park, following Rei Sakamoto’s success in the boys’ tournament last season.
“That was not easy for me today,” Sinobe said, praising the strength of her opponent. “She’s a good player, she’s so strong, powerful, so I was trying to hit hard and aggressive. That works.
“I’m going to play more pro tournament, and I want to get a pro title this year.”
The 17-year-old wore beige slides to a media conference after the match that showed a distinct sock tan line - evidence of how much work the modest teen has put into claiming the trophy, which a staff member standing behind her held wearing white protective gloves.
In the final, Sonobe hit 14 winners to Penickova’s six and gave away 13 unforced errors, 12 fewer than her rival.
Asked what was key to her success, Sonobe noted that her whole singles tournament comprised of six matches. Other than a two hour and 29-minute first-round clash with China’s Zhang Reuien, she didn’t drop a set.
“The first round is very tough for me because third set, 7-6, then I always fight hard and pray hard. That’s the key.”
Hirooka has worked with Sinobe for three years and told ausopen.com she has the potential to be a top-10 player.
“She always has these really good moments that, whatever she does, it’s going to go winners, so when she plays good no one can beat her. She can beat everyone,” he said.
“But today, I think she was so locked in she kept the focus for the whole match, from the first point to the last point. I know there was one game that she lost, that can change some things, but she kept the momentum going and she was focused. That was the best thing she did today.
“She is very coachable,” Hirooka continued. “If I tell her something to do, she’ll do it right away. Sometimes she’s hard to read, what she’s thinking, but she’s getting better with that. Personality wise, she’s a little bit shy.”
Sinobe planned to celebrate her triumph with good Japanese food and ice-cream. Hirooka speculated her result would likely change the course of the season ahead.
Asked how far Sinobe can go in the sport, Hirooka did not mince his words.
“I believe in her, that she’ll be top 10,” he said. “A lot of people can say, you know, be respectful, saying top 100, top 50, but I really think she’ll be the top player, and that’s what we’re working for.”