Sofia Kenin was the great revelation of the beginning of 2020. The American tennis player won the Australian Open by beating Garbine Muguruza in the final in a spectacular match. Before this title, her best result at a Grand Slam tournament came at the 2019 French Open, where she defeated Serena Williams and made it to the fourth round.
A week after winning the 2020 Australian Open, Kenin represented the United States in the Fed Cup Qualifying Round.
She defeated Anastasija Sevastova in the opening match of the rubber against Latvia. The following day she lost to Jeļena Ostapenko while Serena Williams lost to Sevastova.
This forced a fifth and decisive doubles rubber match between Kenin/Bethanie Mattek-Sands, and Ostapenko/Sevastova.
Kenin has been inspired from five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova. “She’s fierce. She’s very competitive. Never gives up. That’s like a Russian instinct for me. I was born in Russia. I have always looked up to her,” she stated.
“I think it’s great that she won Wimbledon at 17. I was watching, laying on the couch. I’m, like, Oh, my God, it’s Maria Sharapova, she just won Wimbledon. How cool would it be if I do that?
Of course, I’m not gonna win at 17, because I’m already 20,” Australian Open 2020 champion Kenin added.
