Get ready for a heavyweight showdown in Miami! Two Grand Slam champions, Sofia Kenin and Petra Kvitova, are set to collide in a captivating first-round clash. The 2020 Australian Open winner, Kenin, will face the two-time Wimbledon legend, Kvitova, who recently returned to the tour after a 17-month maternity break. Kvitova, focused on enjoying her tennis, faces a familiar foe in Kenin, who previously lauded her toughness. After Kenin’s victory in their last encounter, the question now is: will Kvitova’s comeback story include a Miami upset?
Sofia Kenin vs Petra Kvitova: Preview
Sofia Kenin has been in decent form this season and she has already reached two QFs (Hobart and Dubai) in 2025. However, Kenin will be entering this epic battle following her 6-3,5-7,4-6 defeat to Russia’s Daria Kasatkina in the R64 of the Indian Wells Open.
Tennis – French Open – Roland Garros, Paris, France – June 3, 2021 Sofia Kenin of the U.S. reacts during her second round match against Hailey Baptiste of the U.S. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann
On the other hand, this is Petra Kvitova‘s third tournament of the season. She will be entering this match following her first-round defeat to Varvara Gracheva by a 6-4,3-6,4-6 margin at the 2025 Indian Wells.
Kenin vs Kvitova: Head-to-Head
Both these experienced campaigners have crossed paths thrice in their careers so far. Currently, Petra Kvitova leads the H2H record against Sofia Kenin by 2-1. Interestingly, this will be their second meeting in Miami!
2020 Roland Garros SF: Kenin 6-4,7-5.
2019 Madrid R64: Kvitova 6-1,6-4.
2018 Miami R32: Kvitova 3-6,6-2,6-4.
Prediction: Kenin to win in three sets
Making a comeback after such a long gap is never easy, and Petra Kvitova has looked a bit rusty at some points in her previous two matches. However, she somehow managed to take it three-setters on both these occasions. So, I’m expecting her to come up with a similar fight in this match as well. Maintaining consistency throughout the match will be the key to success for the Czech. She has also been a champion here in 2023, while Sofia Kenin’s best record in this tournament was reaching the third round thrice (2018, 2021, and 2023).
Talking about numbers, Kenin (46) has a win-loss record of 11-7, while it’s just 0-2 for Kvitova (1126) at the moment.
Petra Kvitova is known for her powerful left-handed groundstrokes, aggressive baseline game, and a variety of shots, including strong serves and volleys. She used the pinpoint service stance and is known for her fast and well-placed serves. As a lefty, she executes the shot well by serving out wide away from her opponent, especially on the advantage side of the court to her opponent’s backhand, and then coming forward to finish off the point with a winner down the line.
On the forehand, Kvitova loves to take the ball early and produce winners down the line, and on the backhands, she can generate a lot of power behind her shots. However, due to her high-risk game and aggressive style of play, she often produces a lot of unforced errors in her matches.
Even 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. She also loves bringing in variation in her game. Kenin has a good drop shot in her armory and other than that, her incredible ability to handle pressure in crucial moments makes her a really special player on the Tour.
Keeping all these things in mind, I feel it’d take some time for Kvitova to get near to her vintage form, so this time, I’m going with Kenin leveling up at 2-2 with a win in Miami.
The post Miami Open 2025: Sofia Kenin vs Petra Kvitova; Preview, Head-to-Head, and Prediction appeared first on EssentiallySports.
