Melbourne (AFP)

As a child she announced to anyone who wanted to hear her intention to win a Grand Slam tournament: on Saturday, the American Sofia Kenin, 21, realized her dream by winning the Australian Open.

"My dream has officially come true! If you have dreams, go get them: they can come true!", She launched on the court receiving her trophy.

She defeated Spaniard Garbine Muguruza 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the final, demonstrating exceptional strength of character when her eldest (26) failed to control her nerves.

As proof, this disastrous last service game where Muguruza, former world N.1 currently 32nd at ATP, committed three double faults, including that which offered on a plateau the victory to Kenin.

But the match was probably played in the 5th game of the 3rd set. At 2-2 on her serve, the 15th world masterfully saved three consecutive break points (she was led 0-40) and kept her game in play by chaining five points in a row (3-2). In the process, she took the throw-in from Muguruza already taking advantage of a double fault from the Spanish (4-2).

- From Moscow to Pembroke Pines -

The American, born in Moscow and arrived in New York as a child before settling with the family in Florida, has thus become at 21 years and 80 days the youngest winner in Melbourne since Maria Sharapova who was 20 years and 283 days when she won in 2008.

"Congratulations Sofia, you played the whole tournament very well and we will see you often in the final," said Muguruza, who was aiming for his 3rd Grand Slam trophy (after Roland-Garros 2016 and Wimbledon 2017).

On the road to his coronation, Kenin notably ruled out the Australian world N.1 Ashleigh Barty in the semi-finals.

Monday, Kenin must become 7th world and therefore N.1 American in front of Serena Williams. She is the youngest American to enter the Top 10 since Serena on April 5, 1999.

Sofia Kenin, trained by her father Aleksander, was playing for the third time in Melbourne, like Martina Hingis when she won in 1997. Before Switzerland, Stefie Graf (1988) and Mary Pierce (1995) won their third participation . Monica Seles, she won in 1991 at her very first participation.

Muguruza, former world No.1, will again become 16th at the WTA thanks to her Australian final. She hadn't reached the Major Final since Wimbledon 2017.

So much so that she was not even seeded in Melbourne, for the first time in a Grand Slam since Roland Garros 2014 where she had reached the quarterfinals by being 35th in the world.

To reach the final, she notably swept the world N.5 Elina Svitolina in the 3rd round.

© 2020 AFP