USA TODAY International Edition
Champ Kenin living ‘ American dream’
MELBOURNE, Australia – In 1987, 11 years before Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin was born, her parents left Moscow for New York City, eager to escape the Soviet Union and live in the United States because, as her father, Alex, put it: “You want to see the world. You want a better future for your kids.”
Alex took English classes and attended computer school during the day; he drove for a car service at night, straining to understand the dispatcher’s radioed instructions.
“It was very tough,” he says now, “but it’s amazing the things you do when you need to survive.”
Just before Sofia was born, the family briefly returned to Russia so grandma and other relatives could help with the baby. A few months later, the Kenins went back to New York. Eventually, they settled in Pembroke Pines, Florida, and it was in the driveway of their home that Sofia, at 3 ½ , found her calling.
“I wasn’t into any other toys. I always liked to play with balls and with a racket. So my dad said, ‘ Let’s go try it and play.’ Obviously I had great hand- eye coordination. I saw I was really different than other players,” she said, a Champagne flute an arm’s length away as she spoke with a small group of reporters after Saturday had turned to Sunday at Melbourne Park. “And people said, ‘ You know she’s really special. Something about her.’ … And look where I am.”
Indeed, look at where, and who, she is: owner of a Grand Slam tournament trophy and expected to be No. 7 – the highest U. S. woman currently – when the WTA rankings are released Monday.
Kenin won the last four games of the final at Melbourne Park with some gutsy play at the most crucial moments, beating two- time major winner Garbiñe Muguruza 4- 6, 6- 2, 6- 2.
One key sequence decided the outcome. Kenin faced three break points while serving at 2- all, love- 40 in the third set. All she did was conjure up an ace and four point- ending ground strokes on exchanges that all lasted 11 shots or more.
The victory made Kenin the youngest Australian Open champ since 2008, when Maria Sharapova – someone else with Russian roots whose game was grown on the courts of Florida – was 20.
It was a win over Serena Williams in the third round of the 2019 French Open, Kenin’s deepest run at a Grand Slam tournament until this past two weeks, that helped provide a boost that keeps propelling her forward. She won her first three tour- level titles last season and cracked the top 20.
Her forehands and backhands are reliable, her drop shots and lobs are terrific, her ball retrieval is top- class.
But what does Kenin consider her best attribute on a tennis court?
“The fight in me,” she said. “I feel like that’s something you can’t teach. I feel like you’ve got to have that. You’ve got to have that belief and the passion.
“I have part of the Russian stuff inside me, ( the) fight and fierce that I have. Trying just to be confident, do what I do best,” she said, before adding, “And thank you to my parents for giving me the American dream.”
That racket Kenin was swinging against Muguruza?
It was painted red, white and blue.