Wang bang and Sloane out
US Open winner hails prowess of her Chinese rival
US OPEN winner Sloane Stephens suffered a shock defeat at the hands of China’s Wang Qiang in the first round of the Wuhan Open yesterday, hours after fellow Flushing Meadows finalist Madison Keys tumbled out.
Stephens, the 14th seed, lost 6-2, 6-2 in her first WTA event since her surprise victory against Keys in New York.
Despite a strong fight by Stephens in the second set, Wang – spurred on by the home crowd in the 15 000-capacity stadium – proved too strong for the 24-yearold American. “I didn’t play a great match. But my opponent played very well,” said Stephens.
“I mean, it’s difficult. It’s the end of the year. Even though I played five tournaments, I feel like I played 25.”
Stephens, who ranks number 17 in the world, added she had been taking it easy since her US Open win.
“I went to see my grandparents. So no partying for me,” she added. Keys also crashed out at the first hurdle in the hot and steamy Chinese city, losing to US qualifier Varvara Lepchenko after struggling to overcome a longstanding wrist injury.
The 22-year-old American 10th seed fell 6-2, 7-6 in what was also her first WTA tournament since the Flushing Meadows final.
Keys, the world number 12, called a medical timeout early in the second set and looked close to tears as she examined her left wrist, which has twice needed surgery in the past. Keys had chances to level the match in the second set but Lepchenko saved two set points to hold at 5-5, before taking the tiebreak 74.
Elsewhere, Agnieszka Radwanska, the ninth seed, beat Magdalena Rybarikova 6-4, 7-5. — AFP