Australian Open winner Kenin aims to maintain momentum at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

American, back on WTA Tour duty for first time since Melbourne win, faces Kazakhstan’s Rybakina in first round

Sofia Kenin played for the United States in the Fed Cup last week. PA

Sofia Kenin is aiming to keep the momentum going as the American competes on the WTA Tour for the first time since winning the Australian Open.

Kenin, 21, clinched her first major title at Melbourne Park last month, and while she has been in action since – competing in the Fed Cup for the United States – the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships will be her first WTA Tour event as a Grand Slam champion.

“I think it was better I played Fed Cup instead of take a few days off,” Kenin said at the media day on the eve of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. “I feel like I have more rhythm and I kept the momentum going. Hopefully, it's going to help me here.”

Now ranked world No 7 and seeded fifth this week in Dubai, Kenin is facing heightened expectations for the first time in her career. It is something Naomi Osaka admitted to struggling with after she tumbled out of Dubai at the first hurdle 12 months ago, having just won the Australian Open and took over as world No 1.

"It's a different pressure: you have more expectations from other people from the outside," Kenin, who takes on Kazakhstan's world No 25 Elena Rybakina in the first round this week, said. "For me, I'm always hard on myself. Every tournament I go to, I obviously want to do well, so it's nothing really different.
"The other expectations are a little bit different. I've got to somehow figure out how to manage it. We'll see."

Another player facing similar external expectations this week is Ukrainian world No 4 Elina Svitolina. Even in a field comprising five of the world’s top 10 players, much is expected of Svitolina this week, given her remarkable recent record at this event.

Champion in 2017 and 2018, she was denied her shot at the hat-trick after a tight semi-final against eventual winner Belinda Bencic. However, any such pressure is being viewed as a positive by the tournament third seed.

“For me, it's more confidence because I played well here,” Svitolina, 25, said. “I won this tournament twice, so definitely I did something right before. I just have to try to find the way to get into the same routines and play well. It's more confidence than pressure.

“I try to take one day at a time. I don't rush things. I try to just prepare well, feel good being out there. For me for sure it's nice to be back here, I have great memories. That's what matters for me for now.”

A potential obstacle in Svitolina’s path for a third Dubai title is top seed Simona Halep, with the two players on a semi-final collision course.

Halep, champion here in 2015, makes her first return to court since reaching the last four at the Australian Open, and the Romanian world No 2 believes the short break will boost her chances of success this week.

“I feel great to be back in Dubai,” Halep, 28, said. “After Australia, I didn't do much. I was just at home for about two weeks. I spent time with my family and friends and recharged my batteries. I'm ready to go again.”