2020 Aussie Open champ Sofia Kenin’s season is threatening to unravel. The former World No.4 started the year quite promisingly, reaching the quarterfinals in Dubai before an impressive runner-up finish in Charleston.
2025 WTA Tour
WTA 500
Korea Open
Seoul Olympic Park Tennis Centre, Seoul, South Korea (Outdoor Hardcourt)
Selected Round of 16 Matches- 17th September
Sofia Kenin (7) 1.13 vs Maya Joint 0.69
Kenin- who has endured massive injury issues and fluctuations in form- has failed to win back-to-back tour-level matches since a solid 3rd round run in Paris. She went 1-4 during the North American hardcourt swing and came into this tournament on a four-match losing streak. And she looked rather erratic in her Seoul opener, coming back from a set down in an error-strewn 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over German Laura Siegemund. Kenin struggled on serve, coughing up plenty of double faults while only winning around 60% of her first-serve points. Still, she will just feel relived to pick up a win of any kind. Kenin reached a final during last year’s late-Asian swing, finishing runner-up to Qinwen Zheng at the Pan Pacific Open. She will be hoping for a similar dose of late-season vindication this week.
Up-and-coming Aussie Maya Joint looked similarly troubled on serve in her opener against Linda Fruhvirtova, landing only 54% of her first serves while leaking eight double faults. Still, she dominated most of the extended rallies against the Czech, ultimately triumphing 6-4, 7-6. This has truly been a breakthrough year for the promising Aussie teenager. Joint has won multiple titles this season, showing versatility by winning titles on clay (Rabat) and grass (Eastbourne). A strong striker off both wings, Joint has exceptional movement and grit. She does show signs of nerves in high-pressure situations (which is most evident on serve). She has also occasionally struggled against the stronger hitters (which probably isn’t too surprising considering her years). She will need to shore up her defence or develop more pronounced weapons if she wishes to reach the upper echelons of the game.
The Verdict: Joint to win in three sets at 3.4– Joint leads the head-to-head 1-0, thrashing the American at this year’s Hobart International. Kenin is in dreadful form and barely scraped through her first-round clash against Siegemund. Still, the Grand Slam champion possesses the repertoire to trouble the Aussie. I just think that Joints’ consistency- and use of slice- could see her through in three.
Clara Tauson (3) 0.45 vs Eva Lys 1.7
22-year-old Dane Clara Tauson will be making her first appearance since losing to Filipino breakout star Alex Eala in the first round of the US Open. The Dane has enjoyed an excellent year and looks primed for a concerted period in the world’s top 20. She won her 3rd career title to start off the season, with Naomi Osaka retiring despite leading by one set in their Auckland final. She then produced arguably the best performance of her career in Dubai, beating World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka en route to a maiden Masters 1000 appearance (she would go down to Andreeva in the final). She has popped up with solid results since, going down to eventual champ Swiatek in the 4th round of Wimbledon before a timely semifinal run in Montreal. A strong server with powerful groundstrokes, Tauson just needs to work on her movement, and she could become one of the tour’s elite players.
23-year-old German Eva Lys produced some high-quality tennis in her Seoul opener, taking down hard-hitting American Ashlyn Krueger 6-3, 6-4. It was an emphatic start for a player who has struggled with debilitating illness. A few years back, the German was diagnosed with spondylarthritis, which has caused her to suddenly withdraw from several tournaments (including this year’s Hamburg Open). She started this year in ominous style, reaching the 4th round of the Aussie Open as a lucky loser. While she hasn’t been able to replicate that fairytale run since, she did show some encouraging signs of improvement in the latter portion of the North American hardcourt swing. She reached her first quarterfinal of the season (before withdrawing) in Cleveland and was narrowly beaten by Madison Keys in Cincinnati. She was forced to withdraw while trailing Linda Noskova in her US Open 2nd round match (citing back issues). Could this be the week where her body finally cooperates?
The Verdict: Tauson to win in straight sets at 1.03- This will be their first career meeting. Lys will look to be aggressive with the double-handed backhand, pushing Tauson into uncomfortable areas of the court. I just think that Tauson’s cleaner striking will give her a huge edge here (not to mention Lys has that tendency to break down in matches).
