Qinwen Zheng defeats wild card Sophia Kenin to win in Tokyo and clinch WTA Finals berth

Top-seeded Qinwen Zheng of China claimed Toray Pan Pacific Open with a 7-6 (5), 6-3 win over American wild card Sofia Kenin in Sunday’s final and clinch her place in WTA finals next month.

No. 7-ranked Zheng, who won gold at Paris Olympics , fired 16 aces and only faced a single break point throughout 1 hour, 52 minute victory in Tokyo over 2020 Australian Open champion Kenin.

It is 22-year-old Zheng's third title of year and first on hardcourt she winning at Guangzhou last year. She has gone 28-4 since Wimbledon, including a 12-2 run in women's tour Asian swing.

It was 25-year-old Kenin's best performance of season. American was ranked as high as No. 4 early in 2020, but a series of injuries, including ankle and quricep ailments, has seen her WTA ranking drop to its current 155.

WTA Finals begin in Riyh, Saudi Arabia on Nov. 2.