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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 28, 2020

Sofia Kenin

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

S. KENIN/O. Jabeur

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How does it feel to be in the semifinals? How do you think you played today?
SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, it feels really good. I'm super excited for it. I think overall I played really good. I tried to handle the nerves. Obviously nerves coming into this match. I think I did a really good job handling myself.

Q. Not an over-the-top celebration from you.
SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, compared to fourth round (smiling).

Q. Compared to fourth round, third round, second round. How has your mindset changed now that you're this deep into a tournament?
SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, of course. Like you said, celebration-wise wasn't as dramatic like the previous ones. Of course, it was even more happier. I guess, I don't know, I just handled myself better overall.

Yeah, I feel like I'm playing really well. Of course, it's really different being second week in a semis. Obviously playing with more confidence. I really feel like I can do well.

Q. When you enter a match, you on paper are favorite, your first Grand Slam quarterfinal, does that make your mindset any different?
SOFIA KENIN: A little bit, of course, yeah. I mean, I haven't experienced being in the quarterfinals, so I tried to somehow handle my nerves. I mean, I kind of assume, like you said, I was the favorite. I try not to let that get in my head, just play point by point.

She's a really tough player. I knew she's going to come out playing strong. She's had really good matches, good wins. It wasn't an easy one, it wasn't an easy battle. All respect to her.

Q. Your earlier life, I understood you left Russia for New York at a very young age. What was the story with that? With a few hundred dollars is what I read.
SOFIA KENIN: I was born in Russia. My parents moved to America so I could have the American dream, so... I was not aware of what happened. They gave me an American dream. I'm proud of it and thankful for them.

Q. What about the prospect of potentially playing not only the world No. 1 in the semis but also someone in front of her home crowd?
SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, it's going to be a good match either way. According to the result for now, it's Ash. Yeah, I mean, I played her a few times, know her game pretty well.

Yeah, it's going to be a good match. I'm excited. Of course, she's playing at her home, so it's a little bit different. I made a lot of new fans. Hopefully I'll get some support, have a good match.

Q. What have you made of the Australian fans so far?
SOFIA KENIN: I love them. They keep supporting me. I love the atmosphere they bring out. It's a really different atmosphere. I love playing in front of them.

Q. Dinara Safin was in your box.
SOFIA KENIN: Yes.

Q. How did that come about? She's someone who made the finals here. Are you getting any tips from her?
SOFIA KENIN: No, I mean, I've seen her around and stuff. I follow her on Instagram, she follows me. We text and stuff. I just asked her if she wants to come. She said she would love to come. It's obviously a privilege to have her in my box.

I know all the accomplishments she's had. Yeah, she's happy, I'm happy, so...

Q. How does it feel being like the last American woman?
SOFIA KENIN: It's exciting. Yeah, it's exciting. I'm happy. I'm doing this for myself. I'm trying not to think about the last American. But of course it's an honor, it's a privilege. I'm happy to be where I am.

Q. Talk about your recent rise. It's been incredible but also a little bit more steady than some of the others.
SOFIA KENIN: Well, I feel like all the match play I've had has helped me. Of course, I'm rising, so I'm trying to somehow keep my game stable, just play with stability, just play each match one match at a time.

Of course, I'm really happy. I've worked really hard to get to where I am. I've done a really hard pre-season. I knew that it's going to help me and it's going to pay off. Thank God it's paying off here.

Q. Assuming you do play Ashleigh in the next round, can you think of anything previous in your career where you played someone so big in front of their home fans?
SOFIA KENIN: I've played Ash a few times. I don't know who I've played. I played a lot of big names. I don't think I've played anyone big in their home crowd. It's going to be a different atmosphere obviously.

But it's exciting. I'm really looking forward to it, so...

Q. Fed Cup seems to bring out the best in you. You were in the final. Could that be useful? And if it's Petra, what would it be like playing her?
SOFIA KENIN: Petra, I mean, big serve. She's got a really big, aggressive game. I played her last time in Madrid. Of course, she played well. But I'm going to use what I did wrong there and hopefully I can do it a bit better.

Fed Cup-wise, yes, I think it definitely helps me. The atmosphere there is really different. I think it's really helped me get used to all of this, get used to all of the fans screaming all the time, just feeling more comfortable with it.

Q. After the big year you had last year, what kind of conversations did you have with your dad to make sure you can keep rising? It's the first month of the year, you're already in the semis of a slam. Did you expect to do so well so early?
SOFIA KENIN: We're trying to take one match at a time. We really don't have conversations like, Let's do well every tournament. Obviously anything can happen on any given day.

I'm doing the best I can to keep everything stable. He's helping me, making sure I'm in check every practice. That obviously starts from practice, because it transitions to the court.

Yeah, I mean, we're obviously both happy with this result. I'm trying to play more stable. I'm trying to have stable results. It's paying off.

Q. At the end of last year you said, especially given your results, you were reflecting on everything, there were times when the ranking was low, people didn't believe in you. It was you and your family and your team believing you could achieve results like this. Do you have concrete examples of that, feeling as though the eyes started to go elsewhere as opposed to backing you, really believing you could accomplish what you've done here this week?
SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, of course. Before, I mean, it was obviously different. I was just starting off on the WTA Tour. Like I said before, I really had to establish myself to show everyone who I am. I think a big part that got me here is my family were there for me.

It was obviously tough. Like I said, people didn't really believe in me and everything. But they believed in me, especially my dad, since he's been with me through this incredible journey. Yeah, I think that's obviously helped me.

Yeah, obviously now I can see more people know me and it's a little bit different. I'm happy for that.

Q. Did you see anything changing in the women's tennis recently? There are quite a few players like you that are not any more so tall as it was in the past. How this happens? Do you think talent is prevailing on big height?
SOFIA KENIN: I mean, honestly, I feel like anyone can play on any given day. It's nothing really to do with height. Cibulkova, she wasn't the tallest, but she's accomplished so much in her career.

I just feel like we're getting stronger, we're able to keep up with the big hitters. I honestly don't think it matters, the size.

Q. For those who might just be kind of starting watching you this week or this tournament, how would you describe your game? What do you think your strengths are?
SOFIA KENIN: I'm very aggressive. I like to dictate and control the points. Strengths, I can't give you all because they're going to use it against me. Yeah, I guess I could just say aggressive, the fight in me. I've had that. Yeah, I'm going to keep having that.

Q. About your father, what he means to you in daily life, what he does with you, the relationship actually.
SOFIA KENIN: No, I mean, relationship, it's obviously different on court and off court. Off court we have a good relationship. We do everything normal, just go to restaurants, go sightseeing, sometimes go to museums and stuff like that. It's casual. It's a normal relationship.

We obviously bond well, we work together well, so...

Q. You're one of the most openly patriotic of the American players. Being the last American woman here, trying to be the first American to win a Grand Slam for a couple years, which is a long drought, what would that mean to you to have now all the American fans, you're the gal right now?
SOFIA KENIN: I mean, it would be amazing. But I'm just going to take it one match at a time. Whoever I play, of course, she's playing well.

Yeah, we'll just see how it goes. I mean, if you say it like that, if that happens, okay, I'm all in for that. I'll take it (smiling).

Yeah, just one match at a time to not overthink things.

Q. Your success on the tour level has been gradual. How big was the performance you put together at Roland Garros last year in beating Serena in terms of making you believe you could handle it?
SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, definitely. I feel like that was the first time I experienced getting to the second week. Obviously it felt really different. It's so much different.

But, yeah, I feel like that match really changed things. I obviously saw that I can play on this level, I could play with the best. Of course, it just happens to be Serena, my idol. Yeah, it was a really exciting match. I feel like after that, things took off.

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