Kristie Ahn, the American ranked No. 141, has won her first Grand Slam match ever in familiar territory—her very own training facility in Flushing Meadows—at the 2019 US Open. On Tuesday evening, she defeated No. 63 Svetlana Kuznetsova, the 2004 US Open champion, 7-5, 6-2.
Ahn was awarded a wild card into the main draw after winning the US Open Wild Card Challenge, given to the American who collected the most WTA singles ranking points from her best three results during the weeks of July 8, 15, 22, 29 and Aug. 5.
Ahn’s path is unique, as she last played in the main draw of the US Open in 2008. Since then, she graduated from Stanford University with a degree in science, technology and society and has been grinding on the pro tour, playing a mixture of ITF pro circuit and WTA events. She also had to undergo some difficult moments with injuries.
Ahn has been nothing short of positive about her journey.
"They say everyone’s path is different," she said. "And it’s so true because sometimes you do have to take the longer route, but if you’re willing to stick it out, it’s worth it."
Ahn is looking to continue her run as the hometown hero, when she takes on Anna Kalinskaya of Russia, the 20-year-old who elimated Sloane Stephens in the first round. Both players are making their Round 2 debuts at the US Open.
USOpen.org caught up with Ahn after her first-round victory.
USOpen.org: How does it feel to win your first-ever main-draw Grand Slam match at home?
Kristie Ahn: It feels pretty sweet. Having the experience of playing the Wimbledon main draw helped me in my first round here, as it made me feel prepared. A lot of my friends and family came out to support me, and the general American support during the match was really nice. [Kuznetsova is] a former US Open champion and we played a lot of great points, so the applause went both ways. I definitely felt the love, though.
USOpen.org: You played in the main draw of the 2008 US Open. Was there ever a time between then and now that you wondered if you would reach this stage again in your career?
Kristie Ahn: Yes, and every year it gets tougher and tougher. I’ve dealt with my fair share of injuries and setbacks, and sometimes you wonder, "Will I ever get back to this stage?" Qualifying for Wimbledon was huge for me to feel like I could put 2008 to rest. I think I’ve been playing freely since then, so it’s exciting and a great feeling.
"Sometimes you do have to take the longer route, but if you’re willing to stick it out, it’s worth it." —Kristie Ahn
USOpen.org: How do you feel moving forward after a very dominant first-round win?
Kristie Ahn: I’m feeling a lot of emotions, but more than anything, I'm just trying to enjoy every moment. It’s so exciting to be playing at home and to be playing good tennis. I’m not too concerned about results, as I have more than accomplished what I came out here to do, so it’s just about enjoying the moment and embracing it. I've never played against Kalinskaya. A lot of it is on my plate. I’m not the type that needs to know a lot about my opponent. I'd rather focus on my game and not psych myself out focusing on what she’s good or bad at.
USOpen.org: How are you doing physically?
Kristie Ahn: I’m feeling pretty good, actually. I played a lot of matches this summer, but I think that helped my body prepare for an event like this. Luckily, I was able to come through in two sets in my first-round match, even though it was physical. Also, the day off between my first- and second-round singles matches definitely helps with recovery.
USOpen.org: You graduated from Stanford University in 2014. If you could go back in time, would you still go to college or try to turn professional earlier in your career?
Kristie Ahn: I am super happy I went to college. For me, I was never planning on leaving college before my four years were finished. If anything, I was going to finish the four years and see if I wanted to continue playing tennis, in general. Stanford has a lot of connections and different avenues, so I was totally open to just hanging up the racquet afterward. I wasn’t quite ready to close the chapter after college, though, so I decided to give it a little push.
USOpen.org: How does it feel to not only compete on America’s biggest tennis stage, but also train here? Do you feel that you have a slight advantage over the other players?
Kristie Ahn: I mean, obviously, everyone gets their fair share of time on the courts once the event starts. When we practice out here, one of my coaches always says to imagine it’s the US Open and that the stadiums are packed and the bleachers are full. At first, I think, “Yeah. Eh, whatever." But then I realized that it can become real life. Maybe it helped me in Round 1, maybe it didn’t, but I definitely felt less nervous out there than I had felt in the past.
