🎾 WTA Charleston: Kalinskaya vs Kenin

🎾 WTA Charleston: Kalinskaya vs Kenin – Quarterfinal Preview

🧠 Form & Context

Anna Kalinskaya 🇷🇺
🎯 Giant-killer mode: Just stunned World No. 5 Madison Keys, 6-2, 6-4, for her fourth career top-5 win — saving 7 of 8 break points.
🏛️ Charleston comfort: Into the Charleston quarterfinals for the second time in as many appearances. Beat Victoria Azarenka here in 2023.
🏖️ Rare clay success: This is her first clay-court QF since turning pro — but Charleston's green clay has been a sweet spot.
📉 Seasonal struggles: Entered the tournament with 5 first-round losses in her last 7 events and dipped outside the top 30.

Sofia Kenin 🇺🇸
🔥 Fully resurgent: Hasn’t dropped a set this week, defeating Pera, Bencic, and Kasatkina — her first top-15 win since 2022.
📈 Climbing back: From No. 168 in September to top 50 by February, Kenin is now 11–7 in 2025.
🧱 Hard-nosed tennis: Surviving tiebreaks, beating counterpunchers, and thriving against pace — her tennis IQ is back.
💾 Clay pedigree: 2020 Roland-Garros finalist. This marks her first Charleston QF in 7 appearances.

🔍 Match Breakdown

🔹 Kalinskaya is playing fearless, clean first-strike tennis. She’s stepping inside the baseline and finishing rallies quickly. If she can take time away and attack Kenin’s second serve, she could ride her momentum into a second straight top-15 upset.

🔹 Kenin thrives in matches that turn physical. She mixes spins, disguises direction well, and loves dragging aggressive players into longer rallies. Her consistent depth and ability to redirect pace could frustrate Kalinskaya if the Russian starts missing.

The X-factor? Serve reliability. Kalinskaya has shown nerves in tight moments, while Kenin’s compact technique holds up better under pressure, especially on slower courts.

🔮 Prediction

Pick: Sofia Kenin in 3 sets

This could be the most tactical and emotionally charged quarterfinal in Charleston. Kalinskaya is hot, but Kenin’s clay comfort and competitive grit may prove decisive.