NEW YORK _ For all the hype that surrounds Serena Williams going for her 24th Grand Slam title, for all the excitement that surrounds the prodigal American teen Coco Gauff, who was ousted in the first round of the U.S. Open, there is a quiet confidence in Sofia Kenin, who as a 21-year-old American has risen to the upper echelon of the game and done so under the radar.
Considering that she is the only Grand Slam winner this year, considering she is the No.-4 ranked player in the world and the No. 2 seed at the Open, she would have to be considered a favorite for the title if not quite the favorite media darling.
Kenin maybe not so surprisingly won the Australian Open in January, the only Slam completed so far this year after the French Open was postponed and Wimbledon was canceled. Kenin won three WTA singles finals in 2019 and then beat Garbine Muguruza in the final in Melbourne. She also defeated world No. 1 and hometown favorite Ashleigh Barty along the way.
