Sofia Kenin was supposed to play at the 2024 Thailand Open in Hua Hin, but the American won't be participating at the WTA 250 event as she withdrew from the tournament.
Kenin became a Grand Slam champion a few years ago when she won the 2020 Australian Open by defeating Garbine Muguruza in the final. Later that year, she also made the Roland Garros final, and it seemed like a star was born.
At the time, she was a fantastic tennis player, easily dominating opponents. Fast forward to now, four years later, and Kenin is barely hanging on to a spot in the Top 100.
Her ranking will drop significantly after this week because the points from last year’s Guadalajara Open will be deducted. Kenin performed very well at that event last year, reaching the semi-final, but since she’s not competing this year, she’s set to lose over 300 points.
That will drop her down to around 88th palce in the world, which is a disappointing ranking for a former Grand Slam champion. Even though a return to that level seems unlikely, Kenin is certainly good enough to keep herself closer to the Top 30.
Unfortunately, her performances this year have been far from her best. She has only 9-21 record, which is below her level, especially considering her record wasn’t this bad even when she was dealing with injury problems.
It’s become so tough that she’s started playing doubles regularly in an attempt to find some inspiration. She’s actually done well, partnering with veteran Bethanie Mattek-Sands, as they made a couple of good runs, winning trophies in Dubai and at the Miami Open.
Despite her success in doubles, Kenin is primarily a singles player and wants to excel in that arena. Things haven’t worked out for her this year, but perhaps she can finish the season on a strong note.
There are a few big events coming up, and she was supposed to start her Tour in Asia early with the event in Hua Hin, but she won’t be playing there.
No official reason was given for her withdrawal, and she hasn't been dealing with any reported injuries in recent weeks. She also hasn’t played much tennis lately, so it's unlikely that fatigue is the cause.
It might simply be a last-minute scheduling decision, with Kenin preferring to rest for one more week. That wouldn’t be the worst idea, as she’s still searching for a spark to reignite her career this year.
She’s on the verge of dropping out of the Top 100, and that would make things even more challenging. She’s already had to play qualifiers for some events.
If she has to enter even more qualifiers, it could complicate her path forward. While a drastic change in her fortunes this year seems unlikely, finishing strong could set her up for a comeback next year.
That’s the hope, and her fans will need plenty of it given her recent performances. It won't start in Hua Hin, but likely at some other upcoming event.
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