Tennis

Zheng Qinwen's remarkable run of form continued on Sunday as she captured her third title of the year at the WTA 500 event in Tokyo. The 22-year-old Chinese star, who has been one of the hottest players on the tour since Wimbledon, served up a dominant performance in the final, defeating Sofia Kenin 7-6 (5), 6-3.Zheng's victory in Tokyo marks her fifth tour-level title and her biggest since winning the Paris Olympics earlier this year. She also has two WTA 250 titles to her name, both in Palermo.The Chinese sensation has been in scintillating form since Wimbledon, boasting an impressive 28-4 record. Her impressive run includes title victories in Palermo and at the Olympics, as well as reaching the quarterfinals of the US Open and the final in Wuhan.Zheng's triumph in Tokyo is particularly significant as it was the second time in her career that she was the No. 1 seed at a WTA event. She has now won both times, maintaining a perfect 9-0 record as the top seed.The victory in Tokyo will see Zheng close the gap on No. 6 Jasmine Paolini in the WTA rankings, where she will remain at No. 7. She has already qualified for the upcoming WTA Finals in Riyadh.Zheng's success is a testament to her exceptional talent and unwavering determination. She has established herself as one of the most promising young players on the tour and is poised for even greater achievements in the future.

Sofia Kenin's resurgence continued in Tokyo on Saturday as she reached her first WTA final in over a year, defeating Katie Boulter 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals of the WTA 500 event.Kenin's victory marked a significant milestone in her comeback, as it was her first semifinal appearance since September 2022. The American had struggled with injuries and a loss of form in recent months, but her performance in Tokyo suggests that she is rediscovering her best tennis.The 2020 Australian Open champion is now projected to return to the Top 100 in the WTA rankings, and a title victory in Tokyo could see her climb even higher. Kenin has a strong record in finals, having won five of her eight previous appearances.Kenin's resurgence is a testament to her resilience and determination. After a challenging period, she has shown that she still has the talent and drive to compete at the highest level.

The Toray Pan Pacific Open, a prestigious WTA 500 tournament, returns to Tokyo, Japan, from September 18-25, 2023. Played on hard courts, the tournament features a competitive field of 28 singles players and 16 doubles teams.Among the notable players to watch is Zheng Qinwen, the Olympic gold medalist and Australian Open runner-up. Other top-ranked players include Daria Kasatkina (WTA No. 9), Beatriz Haddad Maia (WTA No. 10), and Diana Shnaider (WTA No. 16).The tournament offers a total prize pool of $757,900, with the singles champion receiving $163,980. The doubles champions will split $50,000.Tennis fans can catch the action live on Tennis Channel, TennisChannel.com, and the Tennis Channel app. The broadcast schedule is as follows:* Sunday, September 18: 10 p.m. ET to 3:00 a.m. ET* Monday, September 19: 4 a.m. ET to 7 a.m. ET and 10 p.m. ET to 3:00 a.m. ET* Tuesday, September 20: 4 a.m. ET to 7 a.m. ET and 10 p.m. ET to 7:30 a.m. ET* Wednesday, September 21: 10 p.m. ET to 7:30 a.m. ET* Thursday, September 22: 11 p.m. ET to 3:30 a.m. ET* Friday, September 23: 5 a.m. ET to 8 a.m. ET and 11 p.m. ET to 5 a.m. ET (Singles and doubles semifinals)* Saturday, September 24: 11 p.m. ET to 2 a.m. ET (Singles and doubles finals)T2 will also provide coverage of the tournament:* Monday, September 19: 8 a.m. ET to 4 p.m. ET and 10 p.m. ET to 5 a.m. ET* Tuesday, September 20: 6:30 a.m. ET to 8:30 a.m. ET* Wednesday, September 21: 2 a.m. ET to 4 a.m. ET, 4:30 a.m. ET to 6:30 a.m. ET and 8 a.m. ET to 4 p.m. ET* Thursday, September 22: 8 a.m. ET to 4 p.m. ET* Friday, September 23: 8 a.m. ET to 4 p.m. ET* Saturday, September 24: 4:30 a.m. ET to 8:30 a.m. ET* Sunday, September 25: 4 a.m. ET to 6 a.m. ET

The tennis world is transitioning from the Asian swing to the season-ending championships, with three prestigious 500s taking center stage this week.Erste Bank Open (ATP)Alexander Zverev, the top seed in Vienna, is not the player with the most at stake. The ATP's No. 3 has already secured a spot in the season-ending championships in Turin. However, several players are vying for the remaining five spots, including Alex de Minaur, Tommy Paul, Grigor Dimitrov, Frances Tiafoe, Lorenzo Musetti, and Jack Draper.The tournament will also mark the end of Dominic Thiem's career. The 31-year-old Austrian will play in front of his home-country fans for the last time.Swiss Indoors Basel (ATP)Unlike in Vienna, no player in Basel has secured a spot in the ATP Finals. Top seeds Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev are currently seventh and eighth in the race to Turin, while Stefanos Tsitsipas and Holger Rune are 12th and 15th, respectively.Two-time defending champion Felix Auger Aliassime is also in the field and could face Ruud in the third round.Toray Pan Pacific Open (WTA)The Pan Pacific Open has been a WTA institution since 1973. This year, Zheng Qinwen is the top seed, but the tournament took a hit when Naomi Osaka withdrew with a back injury.The WTA's race to Riyadh has already been run, so Tokyo will be tennis for its own sake. Beatriz Haddad Maia, Daria Kasatkina, Anna Kalinskaya, and Paula Badosa are among the other seeds.Guangzhou Open (WTA)Rounding out the week is the Guangzhou Open, a late entrant in the Asian swing. The top two seeds are Czech mates Katerina Siniakova and Marie Bouzkova.