It’s a teenage dream.
American Sofia Kenin marched through two Americans — No. 32-seeded Lauren Davis and Sachia Vickery — whom she described as “good friends” to get where she’s dreamed of being.
The bright-eyed Russian-born American wild card now faces her toughest test: standing on the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium in front of thousands against Maria Sharapova, her childhood idol, in the third round Friday at the US Open.
“The first thought [I had] is that it’s amazing and incredible to play here in the third round,” Kenin, with a wide smile, recalled after her heated win Wednesday against Vickery, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7-0). “It feels great to be at this position and to play the person who I’ve always looked up to in my life.”
Kenin said jokingly that if Sharapova tries to mutter in Russian, she will know exactly what she says. She’s excited, and a little nervous, to play her idol in front of the biggest crowd of her life. In some ways, the 18-year-old carries an edge of confidence similar to what Sharapova had in her early years.
“We both have a fight drive,” said Kenin, who saved two match points against Vickery. “Not similar games, but we’re both trying to be aggressive. Just trying to dictate points.”
While the pair are at different stages in their careers, Kenin’s rise to the third round somewhat resembles her idol’s resurgence at Flushing Meadows.
Both upset seeded players in the first round while seeking validation on the court. For Kenin, the former child prodigy got her first win at the US Open in three tries, while Sharapova grabbed tennis fans back with her exhilarating, emotional win over No. 2 Simona Halep in her first Grand Slam since serving a 15-month doping ban.
“I see her as a great player,” said Kenin when asked if Sharapova’s doping ban affected her fandom. “She’s playing some of her best tennis. … What I think of her, I have a lot of respect for her.”
Like Sharapova, Kenin was born in Russia, but only remembers moments from when she was a baby, specifically celebrating New Year’s and playing in the snow in Moscow. She moved to Florida early in her life and started swinging a racket at the age of 5.
Coached primarily by her father, Alexander, she became a star in her teens, capturing the USTA 18s title at age 16, and was the US Open juniors runner-up in 2015. Since then, she’s captured three ITF titles, most recently in Stockton, Calif., which helped earn her a US Open wild card.
“My dad’s a major impact on my tennis career,” she said. “Obviously he’s taught me when you play, fight to the end and no matter what, just keep fighting because a tennis match is always up and down.”
After her first-round win over Davis, Kenin revealed that she and her father had made a wager and, if she won, she could pick out a jewelry item from Tiffany’s. With the win against Vickery, her dad is going to have to open his wallet a little wider.
“To be honest, me and my dad made a deal where if I won this match, I could get a Tiffany up to $500,” she said shyly while laughing. “It’s my price for winning.”
If she beats Sharapova on Friday, her dad said she could spend a little more at Tiffany’s.