Paris (AFP)
Before beating Serena Williams in the third round of Roland Garros in 2019, Sofia Kenin (world No.6) did not like "clay at all", she said after her qualification for the final of the 2020 edition Thursday.
Kenin had won 6-2, 7-5 against Serena Williams in the previous edition of the Paris Grand Slam, before losing in the round of 16 against the Australian Ashleigh Barty, future winner.
"Before my match against Serena, I had played two good first matches, but I did not like clay at all, says the young American (21). In juniors already, it was not my best surface, I felt like I lacked power, I couldn't control the points, I wasn't moving very well. It was a bit of a battle for me. "
Beating Serena, "it gave me extra confidence," she says.
On the contrary, that Victoria Azarenka inflicts a double 6-0 in Rome a week before Roland Garros did not discourage her.
"I knew I needed a few matches to find my rhythm. I love clay now. I play my best tennis there, I glide well, I move well, I know how to adapt to the surface", she says, two days before her first final in Paris.
Kenin dominated the Czech Petra Kvitova (11th) 6-4, 7-5 Thursday afternoon to qualify for the Roland-Garros final.
This will be her second major final of the year after her coronation at the Australian Open in early February, and the American intends to take advantage of her experience against the new Polish arrival Iga Swiatek (54th).
"I'm going to use (my experience) as an advantage. I'm bound to be a little nervous going into the final. But I know what it is, and I've done it before. I know what emotions you feel when you play. her first Grand Slam final. I hope she will be a little nervous. Me, I know what to expect ", explains Kenin.
© 2020 AFP