Roland Garros Day 9 preview: Sofia Kenin vs. Fiona Ferro

Sofia Kenin will look to advance to her first ever Roland Garros quarterfinal on Monday. To get there, the 2020 Australian Open champion must defeat one of the best clay-court players you may or may not have heard of before, 23-year-old Fiona Ferro.

It’s been a bit of a bumpy road for Sofia Kenin since winning her maiden major title. Prior to the French Open, the world No. 6 has gone just 9-6 since Australia, and has lost in the first round in four of her last seven tournaments.

Before Paris, Kenin was routed, 6-0, 6-0, by Victoria Azarenka in Rome. Kenin is one of the most mentally resilient players out there, but a double-bagel still stings the psyche. Life on tour is different with a target on your back. Everyone wants to own a victory over a major champion.

If you’ve never seen Fiona Ferro play before, you should know that the Frenchwoman is one of the most athletically gifted players on tour. She glides around the court with a graceful and explosive swagger, and she is currently playing the best tennis of her life. She stormed to the Palermo title in August, and has steadily risen up the WTA ranks since turning pro in 2012. According to her WTA rankings history chart, the world No. 49's stock certainly looks like a buy.

Fiona Ferro ranking history- WTA

Ferro and Kenin have previously faced off once in the 2017 WTA Charleston qualifiers on green clay. Kenin won 7-5, 6-2, but Ferro’s game has risen by leaps and bounds since then.

First things first, Ferro is fast. Kenin owns one of the WTA’s most effective drop shots, but they might not be so impactful tomorrow. This wasn't a Hugo Gaston level drop shot, but Ferro snuffed it out all too easily.

Ferro's athleticism is her greatest strength. From a jumping overhead and a perfectly balanced sliding defensive slice, to a short burst of explosiveness and a clean forehand winner, Ferro has all the tools to continue her deep run in Paris.

In addition to her compact forehand, Ferro owns the classic French touch. Her abbreviated take back on her forehand serves as perfect disguise for the ultra effective red clay drop shot.

Winning breeds winning, and Ferro has won her last eight matches. According to the oddsmakers, Kenin is listed as a slight favorite, but don’t be surprised if Ferro dominates from the match from start to finish.

The Pick: Fiona Ferro