Australian Open: Sofia Kenin - "I was ready for this wonderful trophy"
Sofia Kenin won her first major title on Saturday with pure nerve strength. But the Australian Open 2020 also showed that Garbine Muguruza is back. Or better: that you can count on her again.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Feb 02, 2020, 08:51 am
Sofia Kenin came to her winning press conference with shining eyes, and of course there was also a glass of sparkling wine. "Cheers together", started the 21-year-old - and it quickly came to the probably decisive scene of the match.
Kenin had managed to equalize the set and was now the better player. And yet the moment was more for Muguruza. Because Kenin had become hectic, looked dissatisfied, even after points had been played out, which she sometimes stated with an annoyed "Why not immediately!" Finally, at 2-2, she fluttered, 0:40, and instead of gathering and slowing down the pace, Kenin was immediately ready to serve again. A sequence in which "Winning Ugly" master Brad Gilbert must have had his hair on end.
But Kenin delivered. Three winners along the line followed a wait-and-see Muguruza, who understandably had hoped for another mistake by her young opponent. Finally Kenin fired an ace on the opposite side, at the game she looked Muguruza fine on the net.
Kenin: "After that I was on fire!"
"I remember the game well," said Kenin. "The game changed things, I think. I had to unpack my best tennis, I did. After that it was in on fire. I was ready for this wonderful trophy."
In any case, self-doubt seems to be a foreign word for Kenin. Could she remember the last time she had any? "Not really," said Kenin. "In 2019 I started with my first WTA title in Hobart, after that everything went well. I had a strong run in Paris, played against my idol Serena. Then I lost to Ash. I managed to get revenge here. Everything is going just fine off quickly at the moment. I'm still on cloud nine. "
Muguruza: "Good start to the year"
The defeated Garbine Muguruza was understandably not here. She also knew about the crucial phase of the game, "she delivered strong blows in this match, especially in the important moments," said the Spaniard, who was "not happy" with her performance. "I didn't find my punches in the crucial phases." The energy also let them down a bit.
Muguruza did not want to imagine himself on the ground. "I try to keep my perspective, not to become too dramatic." Muguruza made one thing clear. Do you feel that she is back now? "Back?" The two-time major winner pondered ... "Hm, if people relate that I was in a Grand Slam final, it makes sense. But I feel like I've played a lot of tournaments "I was on tour, guys, hadn't disappeared. I was here, even if I didn't reach the final rounds."
That could change later in the year, the experts agree - should Muguruza deliver like in Melbourne. The Spaniard knows that too, of course. "It was a good start to the year, no question," said the 26-year-old, who will return to the top 20 in the world on Monday.
laverarena