The Charleston Open will witness an all-American semifinal clash on Saturday when Amanda Anisimova steps onto the green clay court against Sofia Kenin. The World No.16 will look to add one more trophy to her collection this season after clinching the Qatar Open nearly two months ago. She looks in great touch at the moment, having won her QF encounter against Emma Navarro in straight sets. However, her compatriot and 2020 Australian Open champion Kenin, with all her experience, will pose a tough challenge to her, that’s for sure. So who’s likely to have the last laugh in this epic clash?
Amanda Anisimova v Sofia Kenin: Preview
Amanda Anisimova’s 2025 season has been decent so far. After failing to go past the first round in the ASB Classic, she made it to the QF in Hobart, where she eventually lost out to Elina Avanesyan. At the Australian Open, Anisimova couldn’t leave much of an impact, crashing out of the second round against Emma Raducanu. However, she bounced back strongly in Qatar, lifting her maiden WTA title of this season, toppling Jelena Ostapenko in the final with a score line of 6-4, 6-3.
Unfortunately, the next three events saw her face early exits. In Dubai and Indian Wells, Anisimova was ousted in R64 matches, while in Miami, she suffered an R16 loss. However, in Charleston, the American appears to have found her rhythm. She began her campaign with a straight-set win over Veronika Kudermetova, before eliminating Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva in the second round.
In the QF against compatriot Navarro, Anisimova took the first set without breaking much sweat. But she had to go through a tie-break to emerge victorious in the second set. She, however, eventually sealed her SF spot with a score line of 7-5, 7-6(1).
Her opponent, Sofia Kenin, on the flipside, has had a rough season to say the least. The World No.39 started her journey with a modest campaign, crashing out of R16 at the ASB Classic. But she improved in the next tournament at the Hobart International, where she made it to the last eight before losing against Australia’s Maya Joint. In her next three events, though, she failed to impress much. At the Australian Open, Abu Dhabi Open, and Qatar Open, Kenin was ousted in the first round, R32, and R16, respectively.
Although Kenin managed to enter the QF stage in the next event in Dubai, she eventually lost to Elena Rybakina. In the two events of the Sunshine Double (Indian Wells and Miami), thereafter, the 26-year-old couldn’t move past R64 on either occasion. Her Charleston campaign, however, has turned out to be amazing. In the opener, she beat compatriot Bernarda Pera with a score line of 6-4, 6-4. In the next battle, she ousted a formidable opponent, Belinda Bencic, in straight sets again, before she took out Daria Kasatkina and Anna Kalinskaya in the R16 and the QF, respectively.
Anisimova vs Kenin: Head-to-Head
These two players have never met each other in WTA encounters. Currently, the h2h tally on that front is 0-0. However, they did cross paths back in 2017 on two occasions. In April 2017, during an ITF event in Dothan, Anisimova beat Kenin in the SF clash with a score line of 6-3, 6-0. But later that season, Kenin avenged her loss during another ITF face-off in Tyler. In the R16 there, she defeated Anisimova with a score line of 6-4, 6-3.
Prediction: Amanda Anisimova to win in straight sets
Amanda Anisimova has a singles record of 11-6 so far this season, compared to Kenin’s 14-8. The latter is just slightly ahead. When it comes to event history, Anisimova has had a decent stint on the green clay court of Charleston. In her last three appearances (2021, 2022, and 2024) at this venue, she reached the R16, SF, and R32, respectively. Kenin, on the other hand, hasn’t been able to shine much here. In her previous three appearances (2021, 2023, and 2024), she couldn’t move past R32.
As far as their playing styles are concerned, Anisimova is known for her aggressive play from the baseline. Combine that with solid groundstrokes, including her two-handed backhand as well. Her return shot on the serve is impressive as well. She can also suppress her opponents during long rallies thanks to her smooth footwork.
On the other hand, Kenin is fond of playing an aggressive brand of tennis. Similar to Anisimova, her baseline game is strong, alongside her dominant groundstrokes. Not to forget her effective drop shot as well.
While both players look almost similar in terms of gameplay, Anisimova has a slight edge. Having already won a title this season, she must be riding high on confidence as compared to her compatriot. The prediction is for Amanda Anisimova to win in straight sets against Kenin on Saturday.
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