Kenin seizes the day in seamless straight-set win over Fernandez

Cadence is an underrated tennis asset. What drives it, nature or nurture? Let the scientists and philosophers settle for talk. Sofia Kenin prefers action, words existing to be ushered out swiftly. Just like opponents.

Haste might well be the number two seed’s signature asset. As always, Kenin today conducted business as if double-parked. This will not be the last time we deploy that Graf era metaphor to describe Kenin’s prowess at match management.

Versus 17-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernandez, a highly promising lefthander, Kenin seized the day early and stayed thoroughly in control, requiring 81 minutes to win this second round match, 6-4, 6-3. "I feel like I found a groove,” said Kenin. “I'm playing well in those two matches. I'm really focused on every shot."

Winner of the juniors at Roland Garros in 2019, the world No. 104 Fernandez has many of the classic lefty attributes, most notably a fine breaking serve in the ad court and the ability to generate angles with her forehand, be it the sharply rolled crosscourt or the delayed forehand down-the-line, the so-called “off” shot that frequently surprises opponents. Earlier this year, in a Fed Cup match, Fernandez jolted top tenner Belinda Bencic. Still, at this early stage of her pro career, Fernandez is very much a work-in-progress.

And if there’s one thing recent tennis history has shown, you don’t want to show up to play Sofia Kenin without having done all your homework. On a grading scale of one to ten, Fernandez gave herself a two for her tennis today. “I didn’t play well,” said Fernandez. “I made too many mistakes.”  Indeed, Fernandez was frequently late to the ball, her feet sluggish under fire from the sustained Kenin barrage. Telling stat: Fernandez won just seven of 25 second serve points.

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There was a sharp symmetry to how the plot for this match kicked into motion. In each set, Kenin broke Fernandez at 1-1, in the first set grabbing the break with a crosscourt backhand winner, in the second snapping off an untouchable forehand return.

Urgency. Cadence. Grab. Snap. These are the words that define Kenin these days. “I guess I've always walked fast," Kenin said. "Used to be not worse but faster.  Now at least I'm taking my time, going to the towel. It's not as fast. Obviously especially when I'm losing, I try to go fast. I guess you can see that obviously … It's not the intention, supposed to be like that. But I do go fast, yeah.”

Once Kenin captured those early breaks, she rapidly turned back anything even remotely resembling a threat. In the first set, serving at 4-3, Kenin held at love. Seeking to close it out at 5-4, Kenin double-faulted at 30-15. At 30-all, she composed a glorious three-shot sequence – wide serve, deep crosscourt backhand, down-the-line backhand winner. On her first set point, Kenin whipped a sharp forehand crosscourt. Though on a smaller scale, this only being a second round match versus an opponent with a triple-digit ranking, it summoned up memories of the career-defining five-point medley Kenin had played that broke open the Australian Open final.

Fernandez hung on valiantly through the second.  Down 2-4, 30-40, she gave a preview of things to come with a fine backhand, eventually winning the game with a nimble drop shot-lob volley sequence.

With Fernandez serving at 3-5, 30-15, it seemed likely that Kenin would have to serve yet again at 5-4.  Instead, another medley. On the 30-15 point, Kenin lofted a crosscourt backhand lob over the incoming Fernandez. As Fernandez scurried to retrieve it, the ever-alert Kenin charged forward.  Fernandez threw up a reasonable lob of her own. Seeing pro players prepare for overheads these days is far more nerve-wracking than it once was.  Not with Kenin, who dispatched it for a winner. At 30-30, Kenin ran down a drop shot and whipped a crosscourt backhand passing shot.  It ended with a thud, Fernandez double-faulting.

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In the wake of Karolina Pliskova’s loss, Kenin is the highest seed in the draw. Next up is her good friend, the eclectic Ons Jabeur. In their most recent meeting, Kenin beat Jabeur 6-4, 6-4 in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. Said Kenin, “It's just a matter of taking my chances, matter of executing my shots, serving well, playing my aggressive game.”

Kenin currently occupies the rich zone of proficiency a tennis player dreams of. The junior years are long past, the early uncertainty of life as a young pro also in the rear view mirror. Still just 21 years old, Kenin these days is comfortable and alert, her arsenal setting the pace, other contenders mere peers, not likely armed yet with greater or unfamiliar artillery.  Best of all, nothing has happened to leave Kenin jaded. At this stage of her career, it’s hard to imagine Kenin ever sounding world-weary. Perhaps that mindset too is another nature-nurture question.