NEW YORK, NY, USA - The US Open's Grandstand is still fairly new for most tennis fans, but for Sofia Kenin, who has been winning matches on it practically since it was built in 2016, it's an essential part of the landscape at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

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"I actually played juniors on that court, the semifinals," Kenin, who typically goes by "Sonya," recalled after returning to Grandstand to defeat 2017 semifinalist CoCo Vandeweghe, 7-6(4), 6-3. "I like that court, and feel like it’s my lucky court. I’ve had success on it, so I feel comfortable with the atmosphere."

Seeded at her career-high ranking of No.20, the Moscow-born, Florida-raised Kenin is just about ready to graduate from the Grandstand, having upset Serena Williams en route to the second week of Roland Garros, and posted stellar summer results, reaching back-to-back semifinals at the Rogers Cup and Western & Southern Open. 

With wins over the likes of then-World No.1 Ashleigh Barty and reigning WTA Finals champion Elina Svitolina, the 20-year-old has every reason to feel confident, but admittedly expected to be an underdog against the former Top 10 player - at least when it came to crowd support.

"It was a good amount of people cheering for me; it’s not like everyone was cheering for her. I expected the whole crowd to be for her because she’s done so much, and she might be more famous than me."

Kenin has long been a face in the crowd, touring the Miami Open as a six-year-old alongside former World No.1 Kim Clijsters. Once at the US Open as a fan, the Hobart International and Mallorca Open champion now finds herself the hunted, not just by her fellow competitors, but by autograph and selfie seekers.

"I’m not that famous for them to be aggressive," she jokingly caveated. "Sometimes they want to take pictures before a match. That happened today and the security guard had to explain that we were walking towards the court, about to play the match. I was like, ‘Sorry!’

"Obviously after, I love signing and just being there, because I was in their position and it meant a lot. I remember what it was like to get a signature."

Recalling autograph encounters from the likes of Venus and Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, and Dominika Cibulkova, Kenin is nonetheless eager to escape the grounds and return to Manhattan, where she enjoyed a night at the Taste of Tennis event before the tournament began.

"One thing I haven’t done yet is bought an apartment here, because that’s what I want to do some day. Manhattan is the place I love, and I feel like home every time I come here.

"In the city, people don’t recognize me. Some people do, but it’s good because it’s a little break off-site, from tennis. Here, it can feel like everyone’s screaming my name!"

Asked if she prefers signatures or selfies, Kenin shrugged.

"Either is good. Sometimes it’s funny when they try to take a picture and they get so nervous because the camera is flipped and I’m like, ‘No rush!’"

Kenin next plays German veteran Laura Siegemund, who stands between her and a third straight appearance in the US Open's third round.