Sofia Kenin Defeats Lulu Sun at Madrid Open

Madrid, Spain — Sofia Kenin, the No. 32 seed, defeated Lulu Sun 6-3, 6-2 in the second round of the 2025 Madrid Open on Friday. This marked a significant win for Kenin as she continues to build momentum on clay.

Kenin’s victory comes shortly after Sun, 24, made headlines for leading New Zealand to the Billie Jean King Cup World Group Playoffs. Despite her recent success, Sun could not overcome Kenin’s experience in this match.

In the first set, Sun displayed her power, serving seven aces and breaking Kenin’s serve once. However, she struggled to maintain her form, dropping her serve twice. By the second set, Sun’s first serve percentage declined, leading to further challenges as Kenin broke her serve again.

“I tried my best, but Sofia played very well. She was tough,” Sun said after the match. “I’m grateful for the experience and will learn from this.”

With this defeat, Sun earned €30,895 (about NZ$59,000) in prize money and collected 35 ranking points, likely keeping her within the world’s top 50.

In another development at the Madrid Open, the draw for the men’s doubles has been announced. Michael Venus and Nikola Mektic are the No. 6 seeds, set to face Ariel Behar and Joran Vliegen in the opening round. Meanwhile, Erin Routliffe and Gaby Dabrowski, the top seeds in women’s doubles, will play against Sorana Cirstea and Anna Kalinskaya.

The matchup between Kenin and Sun showcased the competitive spirit of the tournament, with Kenin poised to face Anastasia Potapova in the next round. Potapova advanced after defeating Qinwen Zheng 6-4, 6-4.