WTA Rome: Aryna Sabalenka vs Sofia Kenin

WTA Rome: Aryna Sabalenka vs Sofia Kenin

🧠 Form & Context

Aryna Sabalenka
The world No. 1 continues her dominant 2025 season with a 32–5 record, having captured titles in Miami and Madrid. On clay, she’s 9–1 this spring, reaching finals in back-to-back tournaments and showing no signs of slowing down. Her commanding win over Potapova in R2 reinforces her status as the player to beat in Rome, where she has been a finalist (2024) and semifinalist (2022).

Sofia Kenin
Kenin’s resurgence in 2025 continues, boasting a 19–10 record and nearing a return to the top 30. Her emphatic win over Pavlyuchenkova in R2 showed glimpses of her peak level, but slower red clay presents a more significant challenge compared to her recent success on green clay. She’ll need to produce her best tactical tennis to stand a chance against the tour’s most in-form player.

🔍 Match Breakdown

Sabalenka’s relentless baseline power and improved serving game should allow her to dictate play from the start. While Kenin’s intelligent redirections and ability to absorb pace give her some hope of extending rallies, the Belarusian’s current form and confidence place her in the driver’s seat. If Kenin can disrupt Sabalenka’s rhythm early, she may keep it competitive, but maintaining that over two sets is a tall order against the world No. 1.

🔮 Prediction

Sabalenka has every reason to seek revenge after her Rome 2023 loss to Kenin, and her current level suggests she will get it. Expect a determined and focused performance.

Prediction: Sabalenka in straight sets, with a competitive first set before asserting dominance.