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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 16, 2019

Sofia Kenin

Cincinnati, Ohio

S. KENIN/N. Osaka

6-4, 1-6, 2-0 [Ret.]

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Your first three trips here to Cincinnati you failed to make it out of qualifying. Why do you think this year has been the year you kind of finally broke through?
SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, I feel like I'm just having really great wins, you know, beating these top players. Yeah, I'm just finding my rhythm while playing really well. Yeah, I couldn't be happier with how things are going.

Q. I think I saw you first played Naomi when you were in an under-12 tournament?
SOFIA KENIN: Also there, but I played her last time in Paris, like, last year.

Q. No, that one is easier to find. But when you were under 12, do you remember her back then? Do you remember those matches back when you were fairly little kids?
SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, we played each other almost every week. It was always a battle. How can I forget that?

Q. How much of your game changed? What were those tournaments like? Curious to hear more about that kind of scene.
SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, obviously tournaments you can't compare to this. Game-wise, she still has a really big serve, you know, great shots, very flat.

I mean, the fact changed she's No. 1, having a great year and having two Grand Slams, which is spectacular and really great. Just unfortunate today. She felt bad. I just wish her a speedy recovery.

Q. Did you ever think when you were 12 years old you'd still be playing the same people at this level?
SOFIA KENIN: Here?

Q. Yeah, or anywhere.
SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, I knew I could play here. I always believed in myself. Yeah, I'm really glad that I'm able to do this. Yeah, it's really good.

Q. I noticed that you regroup very quickly, no matter what's going on. Whether you have won or lost a point or something's gone wrong, you don't waste any time. You're right back on to the next thing. I'm curious whether you have always been that way or that's something you have had to acquire?
SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, I'm a pretty fast player. Especially when things are going well, I try to keep the momentum going.

Yeah, when I'm down, you know, or losing, I just -- yeah, I try to work on the mental stuff. Because before I'd cry during the matches. That was like 12 and stuff. Now it's fine. I'm not crying so it's fine.

Q. What do you think was the difference between the first and second set?
SOFIA KENIN: I mean, first set, yeah, it was close. Second set I just felt like a few points didn't go my way. She got a lot of lucky shots and everything. Of course I know she's going to pick up her game. I'm not going to win 6-0 against the No. 1. If I would, it would be great, but no.

Yeah, I just try to fight. Even though things didn't go my way, I tried to regroup and start off strong in the third set.

Q. What were you telling yourself during the break? Trying to reset and resettle for the third set before everything...
SOFIA KENIN: I just told myself, like, I have lost so many second sets after winning first sets, so it's nothing new. Just have to regroup, and I'm playing No. 1 in the world, so I have to go out there and fight and leave it all on the court.

Q. I think with this win you'll be into the top 20 for the first time.
SOFIA KENIN: I am? Okay. Well, I looked last time and I was 21. If I'm top 20, that's great because that was the goal for this year. So that's great.

Q. What does that mean to you to accomplish a goal for the year in August?
SOFIA KENIN: Oh, it's great. I mean, I actually didn't think I'm going to be top 20 this month and everything, but it's really good. I'm really happy.

I'm just gonna keep going and, you know, just not put pressure on myself because I'm having a great year.

Q. Did you prepare any specific plan against Naomi? I felt you used slices and dropshots more often than usual.
SOFIA KENIN: Well, dropshots I do, so that's nothing new. Slices, I'm trying to incorporate that. I started feeling that I can use slices, and it's obviously helping my game.

Yeah, my dad's going to be happy because he was saying, like, I told you for five years to do slices, and now you realize it's working for you. He's, like, At least something is good now.

I'm, like, Yeah, Dad, I like the slice. He's, like, Okay, I'm not going to tell you. I told you five years to do it.

Q. Do you ever keep in touch with any other kids from those under-12 tournaments?
SOFIA KENIN: No, not really. We never were really close. It was a battle out there. It wasn't really nice.

Q. Was it always a battle from the very beginning when you were a kid?
SOFIA KENIN: Oh, yeah, for sure. Nationals, Eddie Herr, Orange Bowl, everything. It was a battle.

Q. How different is that, when you say a battle there compared to obviously the pro level now? Is it less of a battle? Different type of battle? What do you mean?
SOFIA KENIN: It isn't a big battle obviously here. It's more important here and more prestigious. Here I feel everyone respects each other, and off the court you win, lose, everyone's friends, it's fine. There, you don't talk at all. It's crazy drama.

Q. Were any of the matches you had with Naomi back then particularly dramatic or memorable?
SOFIA KENIN: I mean, every match against Naomi is memorable. It's crazy. She's No. 1, amazing. Happy for her.

No, we didn't have drama. It was close obviously, but after the match we were fine. We didn't really go anywhere, but we're fine.

Q. You said you have been able to play without putting pressure on yourself, but as you get better, that pressure magnifies. How do you maintain that philosophy?
SOFIA KENIN: I think it's just with experience. I'm top 20, apparently (smiling). Not going to put pressure on myself because it's kind of easy to go down, because people expect to you do well and everything.

I obviously have high standards for myself, so I'm obviously going to put that pressure on myself obviously to the point where I can play well and make my magic work.

Q. What is your magic? How would you describe it?
SOFIA KENIN: I can't tell you or else it's not going to work. But dropshots is one of them. It's fine. Everyone knows the dropshots.

Q. Thoughts on your next match against another American, Venus or Madison. Talk about each of them.
SOFIA KENIN: I played Maddie at Rome. It was obviously pretty dramatic. Atmosphere was unreal there. It was so good. It's going to be a tough one. She's playing well, and I have a lot of respect for her.

Venus I have never played, unfortunately. If I play her it's going to be an interesting matchup, an experience to not forget because whenever you play Serena or Venus it's a different experience.

Q. I have a fan question for you, because people have been pestering me to ask this.
SOFIA KENIN: Sonya or Sofia?

Q. No. The toss, your service toss.
SOFIA KENIN: Right.

Q. How exactly does that work? If you close your eyes right now, can you toss the ball in the exact same position every single time?
SOFIA KENIN: I mean, I can do it without looking down. It's crazy. When I toss, it's different. When I do without the ball, it's totally normal.

My dad is, like, Why can't you do with when you're actually serving? I don't know. It's just a habit.

Yeah, my serve is not that bad. It's a little bit different, you know, but it works, so I'm going to stick to it, because whenever I try to change stuff on my serve, it just went bad.

My dad is, like, You know what? Leave it. Do it however you want to do it. And then I win.

Q. I was going to say, do you remember the first time when you started to toss it that way, like, not look at the ball when you tossed?
SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, that I don't remember. I don't even know how this happened.

Q. It's impressive.
SOFIA KENIN: Thank you.

Q. I'm curious with Venus, you trained with Rick Macci who also worked with her for a long time. Curious how much you heard about Venus and the Williamses growing up?
SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, of course I heard. We were always watching on USPTA, Rick was always showing, and Rick has done an amazing job with them. That's about it.

Q. Will you hit again with Austin?
SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, obviously Austin is my buddy. We will definitely hit.

Q. Good luck?
SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, he's in my box, as well. I tried to toss him the ball. He didn't catch it.

Q. You said at age 12 you knew that you would be here. What else did you know at age 12?
SOFIA KENIN: Wow, that's pretty far back. I knew that I'm a competitor and I'm fierce and I'm going to fight for what I want, and I wanted to be a professional, because, yeah, it's exciting and amazing.

And, yeah, it was a tough decision, going to college or professional. I was supposed to go to UM, University of Miami. But then I had a great US Open run, playing Maria in the third round. Who is going to turn down 120 grand?

That made the decision way easier, which was very good. I was really happy with it. My dad said, If you win the first round, you're going to go pro. I was, like, All right. I have got to win the first round.

Q. Have you played other sports?
SOFIA KENIN: I have done ballet, soccer. That's about it. I was actually good at soccer. I don't know why I didn't continue. That's a question for my parents.

Q. It doesn't pay 120 grand?
SOFIA KENIN: No, it pays more, actually.

Q. Position?
SOFIA KENIN: Position?

Q. In soccer.
SOFIA KENIN: I don't know. I was everywhere. I was running on the field, kicking balls.

Q. When you were a kid, which tennis players did you kind of idolize?
SOFIA KENIN: Serena and Maria, for sure. Serena has got the amazing serve. You can't compare. Never gonna have that serve, but I would love to have a motion like hers. We'll see.

Q. What do you like about Maria?
SOFIA KENIN: She's fierce. She's very competitive. Never gives up. That's like Russian instinct for me. I was born in Russia. I have always looked up to her.

I think it's great that she won Wimbledon at 17. I was watching, laying on the coach. 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. So we'll see.

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