America’s Sofia Kenin had a breakout season in 2020. She even won the AO title that year, but after that, Kenin has struggled a bit with injuries and lack of form. A few years ago, she even admitted, “It feels like people forgot about me.” Her lack of consistency has been a major concern for her fans over the years. However, now, she has a good chance to impress her fans with a stellar performance on her home soil. She’s all set to start her 2025 BNP Paribas Open campaign against Australia’s Madison Keys. Inglis has played a good brand of tennis in this tournament so far. Can she beat the experienced American in the epic first-round clash?
Sofia Kenin vs Maddison Inglis: Preview
Sofia Kenin has already reached two QFs this season. She’ll now be keen to make yet another similar longer run in this tournament as well. Kenin will be entering this contest following her defeat to the world number 7, Elena Rybakina, by 2-6,6(2)-7 in the QF of the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Tennis – Australian Open – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, February 11, 2021 Sofia Kenin of the U.S. in action during her second round match against Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi REUTERS/Loren Elliott
On the other hand, Maddison Inglis is currently on a two-match winning streak in this tournament. She has won both of her qualifier matches in straight sets. Inglis defeated Japan’s Aoi Ito in the second qualifier by 7-6(4),7-5.
Kenin vs Inglis: Head-to-Head
Sofia Kenin and Maddison Inglis have locked horns against each other only once in their careers so far. Currently, the American has a lead of 1-0 over the Aussie in the H2H record.
2021 Australian Open R128: Kenin 7-5,6-4.
Prediction: Kenin will win this match in three sets
The former world number 4, Sofia Kenin, has reached the second round of the Indian Wells Masters thrice (2018,2019, and 2023) in her career. Although she was eliminated in the first round in the previous season, I’m still keeping her ahead for this match. Reason? Well, primarily because of her form in the 2025 season. She has already been part of some crucial battles this season, and Kenin (47) currently has a win-loss record of 10-6. Although Maddison Inglis (136) has a win-loss record of 11-5, she’s yet to face a top opponent this season.
Apart from fighting it out against Sofia Kenin, the Aussie will also have to cope with the pressure that will be put on her during the match by the home crowd. So, this looks a bit challenging for Inglis at the moment.
Now, if we shift our focus to their playing styles, Inglis is a renowned counterpunch, and she’s a master at redirecting pace. Her pinpoint precision has often troubled her opponents in the past. She’s also known for her ability to play on various court surfaces, with hard courts being her favorite. So, we can expect some fight from her in this match. Maddison Inglis considers her drive volley as her favorite shot, and her key to success will be starting the match on the front foot and stopping Kenin from playing her natural game.
Sofia Kenin is known for her aggressive brand of tennis. Her baseline game featuring strong groundstrokes on both sides and her ability to disguise whether her backhand is going cross-court or down the line may come out handy on this surface. Talking about bringing variation in her game, Kenin also has a good drop shot in her armory. However, she has struggled a bit with her serves recently. Kenin has hit 22 aces so far this season but has committed 38 double faults.
Apart from all these aspects of her game, I feel her tactical acumen and her ability to handle pressure in crucial moments of her matches will help her seal the deal in this match. So, Sofia Kenin is the favorite to win this battle!
The post Indian Wells 2025: Sofia Kenin vs Maddison Inglis; Preview, Head-to-Head, and Prediction appeared first on EssentiallySports.
