While many of top WTA players compete in absolutely stacked field in Adelaide's WTA 500, the other Australian place of action in women top level tennis is Hobart, where a few notable names contend in WTA 250 tournament. The highlight of the week so far is a good run of form showed by Sofia Kenin. The American who won Australian Open three years ago, tries to return to her good shape after long break caused by health issues. First appearances of Kenin, who started her comeback in autumn last year were not really promising, once she faced a few loses during the top level tournaments, being played on the protected ranking basis. Therefore, Kenin moved to a lower level tourneys to find some match practice and now she takes the payback, appearing in the semifinal of WTA 250 in Hobart. She won all the three matches so far with the players ranked in top 100 - Lin Zhu in R1, Maryna Zanevska in R16 (both in straight sets), and today she prevailed Anhelina Kalinina in three sets battle, coming back from being a set down (4-6 6-3 6-1). Semifinal opponent of Kenin will be Elisabetta Cocciaretto. 21 years old Italian, another top 100 player (#67), defeated Bernarda Pera in exciting battle where she was facing the matchpoint in second set tiebreak, being already a set down. Cocciaretto managed to win the intense tiebreak 10-8, forcing a decider and wining whole the match 5-7 7-6 6-4.
Second semifinal will be a contest between Anna Blinkova and Lauren Davis. The Russian made an upset on Maria Bouzkova - the tournament's top seed from Czech Republic, 7-5 6-4 in R16. Another notable scalp of Blinkova was a QF win against Yulia Putintseva, 6-3 6-4. Lauren Davis is a qualifier, who played 4 matches in Hobart (including qualies) and is yet to lose a set. Her highlight so far was a win against Sloane Stephens in R1 of main draw. The US Open 2017 winner will attend in Australian Open's main draw without a single win this year so far.
