Prodigy Sofia on the brink of superstar status
AUSTRALIAN Open finalist Sofia Kenin may not be known to a wider public yet but her face is certainly familiar in tennis circles – for many years.
Kenin, seeded 14, only broke into the top 100 in 2018 and in her previous 11 career appearances in the Grand Slams had never made it past the last 16 until Melbourne.
But, branded a “tennis prodigy” at a young age, she has met a range of stars of the sport as a child, including the 2003 US Open champion Andy Roddick and four times Grand Slam singles champion Kim Clijsters.
“It’s great to see the future of tennis, who knows, she might be one of the new big stars when I’m at home,” Clijsters said in a video posted by the Women’s Tennis Association after her impressive semi-final win over top seed Ash Barty.
The footage shows the Belgian taking a six-year-old Kenin behind the scenes of the Australian Open and high-fiving Roddick.
In another clip retweeted by Kenin yesterday, her seven-year-old self tells a reporter that she could return Roddick’s serve and that she would win Wimbledon.
There is also a photo on Kenin’s website of former world number eight Anna Kournikova holding a young Kenin in her arms and both beaming into the camera.
Kenin, who was born in Russia before her family moved to the US to chase the American dream, drew comparisons with Kournikova, who played in two Australian Open doubles finals, winning titles in 1999 and 2002.
“I always believed I could do it,” Kenin said after the Barty win.
“Obviously, as I started getting more serious, transitioning from juniors to the pros, of course I would love to have been in the final of a Grand Slam. I’ve always dreamed about it,” she added.
“I’ve worked so hard. I’ve put all the efforts into my practices, into my fitness. All the efforts I’ve been doing, it’s got me here.
“It’s just paying off and it’s like a dream come true for me.”
Kenin turned pro in 2017 and has three career titles, all won last year, from Hobart, Mallorca and Guangzhou.
She famously beat Serena Williams at the French Open and during the North American hard court tour posted back-to-back wins in Toronto and Cincinnati over then top-ranked Barty and Naomi Osaka.
As a result, she rose to a then careerhigh number 12 in October and was named Most Improved Player on the WTA Tour at the end of the year.
She confirmed all this in Melbourne, and will move into the top 10 for the first time on Monday as the youngest American since Williams in 1999 – and is just two or three sets away from her biggest career success when she faces two-time grand slam champion Garbine Muguruza this morning.
“I know people haven’t really paid attention much to me in the past,” Kenin said.
“I had to establish myself, and I have. Of course, now I’m getting the attention, which I like. Not going to lie … I’m enjoying every single moment of it.” | DPA | Reuters