Reigning Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin admitted that she was hindered by nerves during her surprise loss at the Australian Open.
The fourth seed bowed out 6-3, 6-2, to Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi in what is her earliest Grand Slam loss since Wimbledon 2019. Kenin hit twice as many errors than winners (22-10) and won less than 50% of her second serves during her 65-minute loss.
“I obviously felt like I couldn’t find my rhythm. I was way too nervous,” said Kenin. “She played really well, came up with some good shots and obviously had a good plan against me. I just couldn’t execute my shots.”
It was at Melbourne Park 12 months ago where Kenin made headlines by becoming the youngest American to win a major title since Serena Williams in 2002. It occurred during a season where she would also win another WTA title in Lyon and reach the final of the French Open.
However, in a Grand Slam environment with the task of trying to defend a title for the first time in her career, the 22-year-old admits she fell apart on court. Something an experienced player such as Kanepi, who is a six-time major quarter-finalist, easily took advantage of.
“Since last year when I won obviously I feel like everyone is kind of expecting me to do that. It’s obviously tough,” she said.
“I feel like everyone was always asking me (about the Australian Open), Would you want to? Do you see yourself getting there and winning again? Obviously I said yes.”
At one stage in her press conference it got too much for Kenin as she began to cry following her disappointment. Although she isn’t the first woman to unsuccessfully defend their title at a major. In fact, nobody has done so on the WTA Tour since Williams at the 2017 Wimbledon Championships.
“I know I couldn’t really handle the pressure. I’m not obviously used to this, so right now I just got to figure out how to play at that level that I played at,” she concluded.
Kanepi will play 28th seed Donna Vekic in the third round.
