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PARIS (Reuters) – Sofia Kenin happily lifted her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, but eight months later the American was left in tears on her court bench as she watched 19-year-old Iga Swiatek be crowned champion of the French Open.
Kenin, 21, showed a lot of courage on that warm February night in Melbourne Park to fight a set against and beat Spain’s Garbine Muguruza in the Australian Open final.
But he could do little on Saturday as Swiatek, who was not 54th at the start of the tournament, filled Court Philippe Chatrier with winners.
“Well of course Australia was very special. Obviously it was very difficult here. She was giving an interview, and I was sitting on the bench and crying,” fourth favorite Kenin told reporters.
“Obviously I had a lot of emotions. I did my best not to cry (while Swiatek was giving his victory) speech and everything. In the end I cried.
“It’s not easy. I wish I had that beautiful trophy. It’s not easy when you were so close to winning the title and you lost it. But it is what it is.”
Kenin entered the game with his left thigh heavily bandaged and also took a medical timeout after the third game of the second set, returning to the court with even more braces.
However, she wasn’t prepared to use the leg problem as an excuse.
“Today after the first set, I felt like it was so tight that I couldn’t move,” he said. “That’s why I had to call the coach. It just got worse. (But) Like I said, she played really well. All credit to her.”
After lifting her first major in Melbourne, Kenin added a WTA title in Lyon before the COVID-19 shutdown. He then made the fourth round of his Grand Slam at home at the US Open.
Overall, the American was happy with her performance, especially when she arrived in Paris after being defeated 6-0 6-0 by Victoria Azarenka in Rome.
“I wish I had won, but I’m happy that I got to where I am now,” he said. “I think it’s a good result for me. Of course I’m quite disappointed that I didn’t get the title, but overall I’m going to take the positives.”
With the arrival of a brigade of new Grand Slam champions like Swiatek, 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu and Kenin, women’s tennis can look forward to exciting moments.
“It’s a bit more competition for us, the best players,” said Kenin, who considers herself an established player and can’t wait to start shopping again when the pandemic allows.
“But it’s always good to see young people take charge and play great tennis. We have to prepare and prepare because they are going to play better against us.”
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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