Kenin reaches 3rd round in Abu Dhabi after Flipkens injury

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin reached the third round of the Abu Dhabi Open on Friday after opponent Kirsten Flipkens injured her ankle and had to retire.

Flipkens won the first set 7-5 and was trailing 5-4 in the second when she jumped to play a shot and landed against an advertising board behind the baseline. Her left ankle twisted underneath her.

“I obviously got a little bit upset, quite emotional. We’re good friends and that’s not something you like to see. I just hope she has a speedy recovery and gets ready for Australia,” Kenin said. “This is not the way I wanted to win.”

Kenin said she had wanted to cross to Flipkens’ side of the court to help her, but couldn’t because of social distancing rules limiting contact between players during the coronavirus pandemic. Kenin said the advertising board was too close to the court.

“I think maybe not to get rid of it but just to push it a little bit more back,” Kenin said. “This is just like an unfortunate incident that happens.”

Flipkens broke Kenin’s serve five times in the first set, including breaking the American to love in consecutive service games to take the first set after Kenin had served for the set with a 5-4 lead.

Kenin will play either 13th-seeded Yulia Putintseva or Barbora Krejcikova in the third round.

Also, the 15th-seeded Ons Jabeur beat Kateryna Bondarenko 5-7, 6-3, 6-2. Jabeur, an Australian Open quarterfinalist last year, will play either fourth-seeded Aryna Sabalenka or Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round.

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