Sofia Kenin About

Sofia Kenin: the 2020 Melbourne champion still chasing the encore

Sofia Kenin was born in Moscow to Russian parents who relocated to Florida when she was an infant, and she came up through the American development pipeline before turning pro in 2017 rather than accepting a college scholarship. At 5-foot-7, the right-hander was never the biggest server or hardest hitter of her generation — her tennis runs on disguise, sharp angles, and early ball-striking, redirecting pace off both wings with a combative streak that's powered her best results.

That edge defined the 2020 Australian Open, where Kenin broke through for her lone Grand Slam title, beating Ashleigh Barty in the semifinals and rallying past Garbiñe Muguruza in a three-set final. She backed it up months later with a run to the Roland-Garros final, climbing to a career high of World No. 4 and earning WTA Player of the Year honors. It was a season that briefly positioned her at the front of the American wave alongside contemporaries like Madison Keys and Coco Gauff.

The years since have been a grind. A 2021 appendectomy, a coaching split with her father Alexander, and a slide out of the top 100 turned the back half of her career into a rebuild. Flashes have returned — deep runs at smaller events and the occasional marquee scalp — but the consistency that made 2020 special has been harder to recapture against a deeper field led by Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek.

As of mid-2026 Kenin sits at No. 87, a ranking that frames her current beat: a former major champion fighting through the back end of the top 100, leaning on her court craft to stay relevant on hard courts and the clay swing that once delivered a French Open final.

Sofia Kenin at a glance

Sofia Kenin is 27 years old; was born in Moscow, Russia; lives in Pembroke Pines, FL, USA; stands 1.7 m; plays right-handed; and is ranked No. 107 in the WTA rankings.