Meet Alex, the taxi driver who became a Grand Slam-winning coach

It wasn't so long ago that Sofia Kenin's far was driving New York taxis and spoke English so poorly that he didn't kw where he was supposed to be going. se days Alex Kenin, despite starting with close to zero tennis kwledge, is coaching a Grand Slam champion. Russian-born Alex, an unassuming, grey-haired man with a receding hairline, introduced Sofia to tennis, brought her up around game and pushed her to achieve extraordinary -- crowned by her victory at Australian Open on Saturday. Sofia said her "crazy smart" far h prior experience of game, but simply picked it up by observing those around him.

"He's seen how all or coaches have been coaching ir players, but he kws everything," Sofia said, after stunning Garbine Muguruza in her first Grand Slam final.

"He kws what he's talking about, he really kws it and he comes up with right plans, right strategies." 

If Sofia's achievement is remarkable, it owes a great deal to her far, who was ever-present courtside during her increasingly impressive run through Melbourne women's draw. Teen prodigy Coco Gauff, world number one Ashleigh Barty and, in final, two-time Major-winner Muguruza all fell victim to tough-as-boots Sofia, who was following strategies drawn up by her wily far. He joins a long list of tennis ds who have produced champions, including Richard Williams, far of Venus and Serena, Mike Agassi (Andre) and Yuri Sharapova (Maria).

But unlike some or fars, whose influence has been resented or even negative, Alex and Sofia, 21, remain close and affectionate.

"I really have him to thank. We've been dreaming about this -- it's a dream come true for us," Sofia said. "He's told me a lot of positive things. He kws exactly what he's talking about.

"Even though I don't like to mit it sometimes, to tell him he's right. Yeah, he really works hard. Just thank you to him. We can share this forever." 

'People overlooked me'

Alex Kenin arrived in New York from what was n Soviet Union in 1987 with his wife, Lena, and a few hundred dollars in his pocket, searching for "American Dream". He drove a taxi by night and went to English and computer school during day, a period he describes as "very, very tough".

"I h to work at night, go to school in morning. Driving in New York, speaking English on (taxi) rio. I h idea what y were saying," he said.

"But it's amazing things you do to survive. (Sofia) kws about that and I think it me her tough." 

Sofia clearly h talent from a young , but y remained outsiders and making it on tennis circuit was never easy. "People overlooked me. I wasn't tallest kid when I was little. People said, 'What are you talking about? She's so small. What are you doing? This is a joke,'" Sofia said. "We didn't have best things said about me but my d's been re and he believed in me, didn't listen to that. He could have easily said, okay, and I could have done something (else)." 

Sofia represented America at 2014 Youth Olympics, me her Grand Slam debut as a wildcard at 2015 US Open and broke into top 100 in March 2018. Her career really took off last year, when she won three singles titles and rose to a world ranking of 12. But despite her recent success, body predicted her victory in Melbourne. During Saturday's final, Alex could barely watch as Sofia closed on win, and he filmed her winner's speech -- which was beamed live worldwide -- on his mobile phone. "He was so happy. I was so happy. We shared this toger. He was like, 'What just happened?'" Sofia said. "I'm also just on cloud nine." "He's just proud of me. I'm a tough cookie, but I did it."