SOFIA Kenin has become the latest Australian Open champion at just 21-years-old after downing Garbine Muguruza in a come-from-behind victory last night. The American took two hours and three minutes to finally bask in glory, but it was worth the wait, with the 14th seed American downing the 26-year-old Spaniard, 4-6 6-2 6-2.

The two-time Grand Slam winner started the stronger of the pair, breaking her higher ranked opponent in the third game courtesy of three winners and only one unforced error, while Kenin had one winner and a massive five unforced errors. Everything looked like it was going to plan for the Spaniard until the eighth game when two unforced errors caused the 21-year-old American to break back. The celebrations were short lived however, as Muguruza broke back immediately and then held serve in the tenth game to win the first set 6-4. Muguruza won 80 per cent of her first serve points and 47 per cent of her receiving points, slamming home three aces and 15 winners to her opponents’ zero and nine respectively.

From that point on though, the match belonged to Kenin as the young American broke Muguruza in the fourth game to move 3-1 up, then served out a strong performance in her next two service games. Impatient to ensure her opponent did not put pressure on her own service game, Kenin pushed hard in the final game of the set, hitting a terrific winner on set point to break for a second time and level the match at one set apiece. She only had two break point opportunities but took them both, while winning 100 per cent of her second serve points, only dropping three points in total off her service games. Muruguza on the other hand struggled, winning just 50 per cent of her service points, and hit 11 unforced errors to eight winners.

The third set was fairly even to start, but the defining moment of hte set came in the fifth game. With Kenin serving at 2-2, she found herself 0-40 down after back-to-back unforced errors. Sensing the moment, the 21-year-old refused to go back into her shell despite the occasion, hitting a whopping four consecutive winners to stun Muguruza and the crowd, to hold serve. The very next game she then broke the Spaniard as Muguruza’s shotmaking went into disarray with four unforced errors and Kenin had gone from starting down the barrel of a 2-3 deficit to lead 4-2. But once again Kenin refused to relax on her laurels, holding serve then powering home in the eighth game, breaking yet again, this time off two break points to take out the match and the championship.

Kenin finished the match with 28 winners and only 23 unforced errors, while breaking five times from just six opportunities – the one she missed was in that final game. She also controlled her second serve with a 65 per cent winning record compared to Muguruza’s 31 per cent, which was helped even more by the fact Kenin put in 74 per cent of her first serves compared to the Spaniard’s 57 per cent. While it was not to be for Muguruza, she showed she has still got what it takes to win a Grand Slam, while for Kenin, it appears to be a bright future for the now top 10 player at just 21-years-old.