Sofia Kenin Talks US Open, Building a Beauty Routine, and Injury Recovery

By Aiyana Ishmael

Sofia Kenin is focused on leaving the US Open with a win after dealing with a quad injury the last few weeks. The 24-year-old tennis player has spent the last few weeks in her hometown of Miami, preparing to be back on the court.

At a young age, Kenin has managed to solidify herself in the tennis realm as an athlete to watch. She has a career-high ranking by the Women’s Tennis Association of No. 4 in the world, which she achieved on March 9, 2020. She also was the 2020 WTA Player of the Year, an award she earned by winning the 2020 Australian Open and finishing runner-up at the 2020 French Open. In her free time, Kenin is now stepping into the world of fashion, working with brands like Free People.

Ahead of her first match in the US Open, we caught up with Kenin to talk about her growing love of fashion, what her beauty routine looks like as a professional athlete, and game preparation.

Teen Vogue: What has your preparation for the US Open looked like?

Sofia Kenin: I got injured before Washington, a few days before my match, so I've just been doing rehab leading up to the US Open. I'm super excited to be here, and I'm grateful I'm able to be here and speed up my rehab because I obviously love this tournament. I love New York, and I love reconnecting with my fans.

TV: What has it been like recovering from a quad injury?

SK: It was, of course, scary because I was told six weeks of recovery, but I [ended up] doing rehab for like two weeks, and then I started playing a week and a half ago. It's feeling more or less good, so I'm happy with how the progress is going.

TV: What’s one thing no one can prepare you for when it comes to professionally playing tennis?

SK: I would say the rain delays. You can never prepare for them. You know, you can always prepare for your match, your warm-ups, your recovery after the match — which is really important. But those rain delays are not the easiest thing to deal with. It can really affect everything that you've been doing leading up to a match, but I mean, it is what it is. It's part of the sport. I'm getting better at it, but I still need to improve a bit at handling it.

TV: What does your relationship with beauty look like? Do you have a routine?

SK: I've never actually had a beauty routine. Of course, I’m really interested in makeup, but it's still something new. I really love fashion. I work with the Free People Movement and that’s the way I can explore that love. They have fun, stylish clothes and everything they have is really young and a way for me to show off everything I love about fashion. They have crop tops and oversized hoodies, which are my favorites. They overall just have really great choices for me.

TV: When not in your tennis outfits, what’s your go-to style?

SK: I have very different kinds of styles I like to try. One is similar to how Hailey Bieber dresses — sometimes she wears an oversized hoodie, sometimes she wears coats. Unfortunately, in Miami, I cannot really wear that because it's so hot, but I love anything casual. Sometimes jeans, you know, with denim jackets. And then also a nice blouse over some shorts that match with it!

TV: What’s one thing you will always have in your game bag?

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By Ashleigh Carter

By Ashleigh Carter

SK: My Motorola phone and my bracket bands. Also an extra pair of shoes and a change of clothes for after the match — hopefully after I'm winning.

TV: What is it like getting to work with the Motorola team?

SK: I joined Motorola in 2021, which I was super excited about. I love their phones, and it's an honor to be on their team. They’re such amazing people to work with.

TV: What is your preferred outfit when training?

SK: Definitely a crop top with shorts, or sometimes I like it a little bit loose, oversized top with some spandex or leggings. I also love matching sets, whether that be the crop top being paired with shorts or leggings.

TV: What’s your beauty routine look like on game day?

SK: I don't like to really wear makeup because it can run down my skin. So for me, it's pretty simple, you know, just doing my regular skin care that my dermatologist prescribed for me. So it's not like any of those nice Clinique-type products, but it's been doing the trick. Of course, sunscreen is the most important thing for the match when it's hot and sunny. And then definitely moisturizer.

TV: How did your environment growing up affect how you navigate playing tennis?

SK: I mean, Miami, I feel like is definitely one of the spots where all players like to train. We have the Tennis Academy. We have a lot of pros there. So I'm really grateful that I was able to train with them or train at that facility because everyone is there; you have so many great players training there. Obviously, there is stuff in Lake Nona at USDA, but that’s far for me. But I still know whenever I get a chance, I'd love to go down there.

By Kara Nesvig

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By Ashleigh Carter

TV: What’s the best advice you’ve received in connection to your career?

SK: Everything is not always going to be a smooth ride. There's going to be some bumps and hurdles you have to face. It's just a matter of pulling yourself back up.