Sofia Kenin

I think it's just a matter of matches and then confidence will come with matches.

Obviously I had great hand-eye coordination. I saw I was really different than other players.

I wasn't into any other toys. I always liked to play with balls and with a racket.

I'm definitely happy that I get to experience being a defending champion. That's quite special.

I'm not a good actress.

I can't go on the court crying because then it's a big advantage for my opponent, so I have to wipe my tears, have a good warm-up, feel the ball and then start grooving in the game.

I'm a bit hard on myself.

I know what to expect now with the mask and the social distancing and no crowds. But honestly, I feel like this is something I can never get used to, because this is completely not normal, and I obviously want it to be back to normal how it used to be.

Obviously, I want to do well in all tournaments, but if I had to pick, for sure Paris.

Serena is such a tough player.

Believe it or not, I used to really hate clay.

The fight in me - I feel like that's something you can't teach. I feel like you've got to have that. You've got to have that belief and the passion.

I'm going to try my best and do everything I can to compete and do everything I can to win.

Definitely I feel with more matches, I'm the type of player I win a match or few matches, then I get confidence right away and then I play better and better.

I know people haven't really paid attention much to me in the past. I had to establish myself, and I have. Of course, now I'm getting the attention, which I like it. Not going to lie.

Of course, I believed in myself.

I love winning more than anything, so, yeah, winning.

I feel like I'm doing a really good job with keeping my ground and staying focused, starting off strong in the third set, because obviously I don't want to go too down.

Serena is such a great player and a true champion.

I've watched Serena. I've been following her, all the slams she's been winning. It's a special feeling just to be ahead of her.

I feel like I'm doing some great things for American tennis.

I would love to be a fashion designer, so we'll see how that goes.

You've really got to, first of all, love the game, you got to love the competition, you got to love to compete.

People said, 'What are you talking about? She's so small. What are you doing? This is a joke.' We didn't have the best things said about me, but my dad's been there and he believed in me, didn't listen to that.

I wasn't the tallest kid when I was little.

Playing matches is definitely going to help me get ready for the U.S. Open.

I tried not to focus on the fact that I'm playing Venus Williams and tried to focus on myself. To show that I'm Sofia Kenin is obviously the cherry on top.

I love representing the US. I just love it.

I have part of Russian stuff inside me, fight and fierce that I have.

I guess maybe it doesn't matter how you serve, as long as you get it in. Yeah, that's worked for me.

It's not easy playing a fellow American. I obviously want all of us to do well.

Match play has really helped me. All the confidence that I'm getting is because of that.

I get involved when it comes to style and pretty looks on the court.

I didn't want to overthink things because you can start overdoing it and get anxiety.

Thank you to my parents for giving me the American dream.

I feel like mental toughness has been a huge part.

I feel like I'm playing some of my best tennis on clay. I'm sliding a lot, moving a lot. I know how to adjust to the surface, so I'm loving the clay.

I usually don't play really good on clay.

During the match I just try to put the emotions aside. I don't have time to think about my emotions. I have to play one point at a time.

It's not easy to get respect. It's really easy to lose it.

I've looked up to Maria Sharapova, Anna Kournikova. I followed their matches when I was little.

I love all the slams.

Yeah, I obviously do get nervous before the matches. I obviously have butterflies. I obviously want to do well.

I'm always with my dad, and he's my coach, and he just kept telling me, 'You have to keep motivated, try to keep motivated.'

I try to do everything I can to win.

Losing I really hate, and I love winning.

No matter what the score is, I'm still going to be there fighting and doing my best to turn the match around, and I've done it a few times.

If you want to beat me, you have to really beat me. You have to finish it.

In tennis, it's usually you by yourself, so getting to be part of a team is really special.

I literally practiced every day except on the weekends.