Pines teen earns respect in loss to Sharapova

For as long as she can remember, Pemboke Pines’ Sofia Kenin has idolized tennis star Maria Sharapova.

On Friday night, Kenin finally got to face her idol. She lost 7-5, 6-2 in the third round of the U.S. Open in New York but gained the respect of Sharapova.

“I mean, I wasn’t surprised with the way she came out and competed,” Sharapova said. “She was down I believe a few match points in the previous match. She’s a grinder. She’ll get many balls back. Despite not having the experience, she’s a tough player. She’s played a lot of matches this year. She’s moving up the rankings. So I knew I had to be ready. I mean, you’re in the third round of a Grand Slam. I haven’t been there in a while. No matter who you face, you know they’ve already won a couple of matches.”

The 18-year-old Kenin produced the best performance of her budding career. A wild-card qualifier, she won her first Grand Slam match earlier in the tournament when she defeated No. 32 seed Lauren Davis.

A victory against close friend Sachia Vickery, of Miramar, in the next round set up a dream matchup with Sharapova. Many have referred to Kenin as Sharapova’s “mini-me” because they share the same background and have similar games. Like Sharapova, Kenin moved from Russia to Florida to further her playing career.

“It was amazing playing against one of the best players,” Kenin said via phone Saturday morning. “Doing what I did, I showed everyone that I can play with her. I felt I could’ve won, but I’m very happy with the experience.”

Sharapova said she was most impressed with Kenin’s confidence. She attributed it mostly to a youthful player not having any fear in a pressure situation.

“It’s a great age to be at,” Sharapova said. “You’re in that position where you’re fearless enough to not have anything — not that much experience where everything is new, every ball is new, every opportunity is new. It’s special. It’s something that I think you should cherish for as long as you can.”

Kenin said she is hoping she can build off the performance. Her comfort at the professional level is at an all-time high.

“For sure,” Kenin said. “Being able to hang with her and play really well, I think I can handle any stage. It was incredible.”

In other local action, Plantation native Sloane Stephens advanced with a 6-2, 6-4 victory against Ashleigh Barty. It is her first appearance in the fourth round since 2013. She plays No. 30 Julia Gorges today at 11 a.m. Also, No. 15 seed Madison Keys, of Boca Raton, was set to play faces Elena Vesnina in third round Saturday night in the late match.

srichardson@sun-sentinel .com, Twitter @shandelrich