US OPEN

August 29, 2020

Sofia Kenin

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. The last three years that you played in the tournament, you played it through the third round. Then you win the Australian Open. You've talked about the fact you don't want to rest on your laurels with that win, you want to reset. Do you think having a major championship under your belt will give you the confidence to help propel you into a deeper run here at the Open this year?

SOFIA KENIN: I mean, I hope so. It all sounds really good. Yeah, definitely I proved that I can get in deep, I can win a tournament. Yeah, I hope it's going to help me.

Of course, everyone is playing really well. Anything can happen on any given day. I'm not going to obviously focus on winning the US Open because I got to take it one match at a time, like I did in Australia. Hopefully I can do well here.

Q. How would you describe the difference in you as a player today versus the beginning of the Australian Open?

SOFIA KENIN: Definitely confidence, for sure. I feel like as I was playing Australia I just got more matches, I got more confidence, like I said. It started paying off, everything that I've done, all the hard work I've put in.

Yeah, definitely fitness obviously has helped. I've been doing it during this whole quarantine and everything. That obviously helped. But the major thing is confidence for me.

Q. Have you heard anything about this professional tennis players association, some of the men, Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil, are starting on the men's side today? Have you been approached about a women's side or would you be open to that?

SOFIA KENIN: No, I haven't heard anything about that. Obviously there's some talk about it. Obviously from my side, WTA, I feel like I definitely have a voice. I think that's something that the ATP need to handle. I can't really say much about that.

Q. You heard about it from being on the guys' side?

SOFIA KENIN: I heard. I'm obviously not going to talk about it. I don't know enough to, like, give anything about it.

Q. Obviously the last time you played a Grand Slam, anyone played, was back in January. Is it difficult to make confidence carry over for seven months? Has it worked? Are there any sort of games you're playing in your mind that get you back to the place where you were in January 10,000 miles away?

SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, obviously it's something that I obviously think about, I remember. It was such a great moment. It's something I'll never forget.

But, yeah, it's a little bit hard given the circumstances, what happened. I was obviously planning to play everything. Everything just changed after that whole corona and everything, which is really unfortunate.

Taking it into this week, I'm obviously going to use whatever I can from January, think about it, hopefully build up when I play here.

Q. How do you feel now that the fans are not physically in the stadium? What do you say to them that are watching from home? Does it change the way you feel, the way you play?

SOFIA KENIN: Definitely, yeah, it's really different without them. They really bring out the best game. When it's tough moments, they obviously are there on their feet cheering for you.

It's really unfortunate. I really wish they would be here. They really help me. I use their energy to get fired up, get them going. Yeah, it's obviously a little bit different.

I'm going to do the best I can to play under these circumstances. I'm sure everyone from home, everybody will be cheering from home.

Q. What are your thoughts about the various expressions about racial justice among athletes? What are your hopes?

SOFIA KENIN: I think it's a private matter. I would rather just stick to talking about my tennis, if that's okay.