After witnessing some blockbuster showdowns in Doha, it’s now time for tennis fans to switch their focus to Dubai. The 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships is up and running and guess what? We’re all set for an epic battle between the 2020 AO champion and the Paris Olympics silver medalist is just a few hours from now. America’s Sofia Kenin will face Croatian star, Donna Vekic in the first round (R64) of the 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships. Who’ll win this mega duel in the Middle East?
Sofia Kenin vs Donna Vekic: Preview
Sofia Kenin started her 2025 season at the ASB Classic. She reached the R16 in that tournament, but Kenin was defeated by Denmark’s Clara Tauson in that match. After that, Sofia Kenin showcased an impressive performance in Hobart. She reached the QF at the Hobart International. Keeping these two performances in mind, everyone thought Kenin would make a longer run at the 2025 AO. Even her opponent in the first round, Coco Gauff sounded a bit cautious before the match, “I feel like I definitely am match-ready for that type, level that Sofia will bring. I think she’s a great mover, has great groundstrokes, pretty steady player, can play aggressive, also play really good defense. It’s going to be a tough match.”
Sofia Kenin of the U.S. in action during the final against Poland’s Iga Swiatek. REUTERS/Charles Platiau
However, Gauff defeated her by 6-3,6-3 in that match. It was followed by yet another early exit! She was defeated in the R32 of the Abu Dhabi Open but Sofia Kenin made it to the R16 at the Qatar Open. Kenin was defeated in that R16 match by Ons Jabeur in two sets. Can she now make an impressive start in Dubai?
Her opponent in the first round, Donna Vekic looks quite determined to put up a strong show in 2025. In December 2024, Vekic hired renowned coach Sascha Bajin in her team. However, she’s yet to showcase her A-game in 2025! She made an early exit from Adelaide International, but Donna Vekic managed to reach the fourth round at the 2025 AO. However, she’ll be entering this contest following her 2-6,4-6 defeat to Linda Noskova (CZE) in the first round (R64) of the Qatar Open.
Kenin vs Vekic: Head-to-Head
Both these players have vast experience in the women’s Tour. However, interestingly, this will be Sofia Kenin’s first meeting with Donna Vekic. So, currently, their H2H record is at 0-0. Who will have the last laugh in their first encounter?
Prediction: Kenin to win in three sets
Although Donna Vekic (19) is placed well above Sofia Kenin (73) in the singles rankings, still her form in the last few tournaments has been a major concern. Vekic has a win-loss record of just 3-5 this season, while it’s 5-5 for Kenin. Both these players’ best records in this tournament have been reaching the third round. Considering their recent form, we feel Donna Vekic may struggle even to make it to the second round this time.
Now, if we shift our focus to their playing styles, Donna Vekic loves playing a quick game where she can take advantage of flat shots. She loves hitting it hard and flat across both wings. The 28-year-old Croatian star’s biggest strengths are her big first serves and strong forehands. However, her biggest weaknesses are her movements on the court and poor shot selection (at times).
On the other side, Sofia Kenin loves playing an aggressive brand of tennis. She loves bringing variation to her game and it includes her impeccable drop shots too! Kenin loves playing from the baseline and she can also hit winners with both her forehand and backhand. This experienced American star loves keeping her opponents guessing on whether her backhand is going to cross-court it down the line. Her biggest weapons are backhand-down-the-line and the inside-in-forehand. Are these enough to topple someone like Donna Vekic? Well, Vekic has been struggling a bit with her form recently, so we feel these weapons are more than enough to win this epic battle!
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