It seems that Sofia Kenin finally found her best tennis again, as she recorded yet another victory at the 2024 Hong Kong Open.
It wouldn't be unfair to say that Kenin's 2024 season was terrible. She couldn't find her rhythm at all, recording multiple losing streaks. Her longest losing streak spanned across nine consecutive matches, but she also had another five-match losing streak.
With that many losses, it was almost impossible for her to have good results, as she ended almost every tournament that she entered in the first round. However, late in the season, she seemingly found her form again.
It all started at the 2024 Japan Open, where Kenin reached the final. She lost that final to Qinwen Zheng, but that might have been related also to an injury that she suffered at the tournament.
Unfortunately for her, the American player injured herself during her semi-final doubles match at the WTA 500 event. Luckily, that injury didn't prevent her from competing in the final and finishing her season.
She then traveled to Hong Kong, where she handled a match with qualifier Mei Yamaguchi, ranked 362nd in the world. In the second round, Kenin was scheduled to face Jessika Ponchet, and prior to the match, she revealed that she was familiar with her opponent.
"I practiced with her years ago…. It doesn’t mean anything. We had lost opening round in the Australian Open, so it wasn’t the best practice from us. I’ll have to do some homework and watch, she’s playing so we’ll see."
That familiarity might have helped both of them, but early in the match, it seemed like the 2020 Australian Open champion was benefitting more from it.
She had a break point already in the third game, and despite failing to convert it, she used her break chance a couple of games later to lead 3-2 in the opening set of this second-round match.
Still, Ponchet fought to stay in the set, and she did, by breaking back and even leading 5-4. But Kening found an answer, winning 12 of the last 15 rallies to win the last three games of the set. That meant she was able to win the first set 7-5.
Riding the momentum, Kenin was able to break her opponent's serve early in the second set, establishing a 3-1 lead after confirming it with a hold. Thanks to her solid serving, she didn't have to face a break point in the remainder of the set, which was enough to win the match.
Kenin won 7-5, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals of the 2024 Hong Kong Open. Her next opponent will be the sixth-seeded Yue Yuan, and with a win against the Chinese player, the American might come even closer to her goal of being seeded at Grand Slams again.
"I set different goals for different parts of the season. Coming into Asia was definitely Top 100 and I didn’t really believe that I could. It felt impossible to pick up 400 points."
"This season hasn't been ideal, I'm happy I'm finishing it strong and trying to keep the momentum going for now, then I'll enjoy some time off. Hopefully, next season, let’s say, Top 50. Hopefully, then I can be seeded at Slams, earlier in the year would be great. Maybe I'll have a bit more luck on my side."