Sofia Kenin’s singles game has been on a slippery slope, as the former Australian Open champion suffered yet another disappointing loss, this time to World No. 188, Aoi Ito, at the Japan Championships in Osaka. Once on top of the tennis world, the 2020 Grand Slam winner has struggled to regain her form, with injuries, inconsistency, and confidence issues keeping her away from the victories she once routinely celebrated.
In doubles, Kenin has shown flashes of her former prowess, climbing to World No. 25 with titles in Abu Dhabi and Miami. But on the singles court, it’s been a far different story. The American, who’s now 25 and sits at a modest World No. 158, has only managed 10 wins in 33 matches this year, and Osaka looked like a prime chance for redemption. With a weak draw following the withdrawal of top seeds and World No. 27 Elise Mertens as the highest remaining player, it was an opportunity for Kenin to gain much-needed momentum. Yet, despite being handed a wild card into the event, she couldn’t overcome Japan’s Aoi Ito, who had never even played in a WTA main draw before.
Kenin initially took the lead in the first set but quickly lost momentum, dropping five straight games to fall 2-6. She showed some resilience in the second set, leading 5-1 and fighting off a wobble to close it out 6-3, pushing the match into a third set. In the decider, Kenin raced to a 4-0 lead and held a seemingly comfortable 5-2 advantage, needing only one more game to seal the match.
However, Kenin’s struggles resurfaced in the most painful way. She lost 20 of the last 26 points, ultimately losing the set—and the match—5-7. This heartbreaking exit from Osaka underscores the mental and physical barriers Kenin faces on her path back to the top of the WTA rankings. For now, her doubles success is keeping her afloat, but Kenin’s singles game remains a shadow of what once made her a Grand Slam champion.
