American Kristie Ahn won her first-round matchup at the U.S. Open against Russian Svetlana Kuzentsova in straight sets, advancing her to a second-round match against Anna Kalinskaya.
Ahn, 27, is a Stanford University graduate and while she’s had some success on the court, her father keeps wondering when she’s going to put her degree to better use.
“My dad was like, ‘So, this is a bit of a problem. … How are you gonna get into corporate America if you keep winning?’” Ahn told the New York Post. “He’s very keen on me hanging up the racket and getting a 9-to-5 job, but I’m gonna try and milk this as long as I can.”
Ahn had immediate success on the court and entered the 2008 U.S. Open as a 16-year-old. She joined the Women’s Tennis Association tour full time after graduating from Stanford with a degree in science, technology, and society, according to the New York Post.
She admitted that the idea of hitting her peak so young has become a source of frustration.
“All these questions start looming above your head, so now it’s all like tucked away — and good riddance,” Ahn said. “I feel like I can finally put the 2008 U.S. Open to rest. May it rest in peace. … It’s no longer that looming skeleton in my closet anymore. I can play free. And I feel like I have.”
She added: “In the past couple years I’ve kind of struggled with the feeling of belonging. I felt something was lacking. I felt like I was fortunate to be there, like this won’t last type of thing. … Now, when I go out there, I don’t feel nervous. I just go out there and enjoy it.”
Ahn, who was born in Flushing Meadows, where the U.S. Open is held, appears to be feeling right at home. Ahn defeated Kuzentsova, 7-5, 6-2. Kuzentsova won the 2004 U.S. Open. and the 2009 French Open.
Ahn is ranked No. 141 in the world. She faces Kalinskaya on Thursday.