Sofia Kenin back to winning ways at lower-tier WTA event

Friday, 04 November 2022 at 03:00

Updated at Thursday, 03 November 2022 at 20:14

byJamie Malachy

Sofia Kenin has reached the quarter-finals of the Dow Tennis Classic - a WTA 125 event in Midland, Texas.

The former Australian Open champion has struggled for any sort of consistent form since that stunning victory in Melbourne back in January 2020.

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The Moscow-born American reached a career high of No. 4 in the wake of that Gland Slam triumph, but has slipped well below the 200 mark in her battle for form and fitness.

Other than a run to the French Open final in the pandemic-delayed 2020 edition of the clay showpiece, Kenin has failed to get past the fourth round in any of her major outings since.

Her progression was hampered significantly by a run-in with appendicitis in spring of last year, before a coaching split with her father and more injury woes further stalled her progress.

It has been a tough few years for the American, who is now currently ranked at 253 in the world.

However, after three consecutive first-round losses at tour level over the past few months, Kenin has recently opted to compete at a couple of WTA Challenger events (otherwise known as WTA 125's), as she turns her attention to preparation for next season.

It has appeared to be a shrewd move the American, as she reached the semi-finals of a challenger event in Waco, Texas, last week, before her current run to the last eight in Midland.

Kenin won against second seed Madison Brengle 6-1, 6-3 in the last 16, and could face another compatriot in Caty McNally next. McNally is up against South Korea's Su Jeong Jang this evening.

Should Kenin get past McNally and also win her semi-final match, it would mark her first tournament final at any level since 2020.

While this will do little to improve her ranking in the short-term, a tournament victory on the Challenger level may well be just the tonic this former Grand Slam champion needs to get back on track.