Sloane Stephens

sweeps Madison Keys in straight sets to win the U.S. Open women’s title.

NEW YORK — Sloane Stephens never looked shaken by the setting or the stakes in her first Grand Slam final. Her opponent, Madison Keys, most definitely did.

Stephens dominated her close friend Keys 6-3, 6-0 on Saturday to win the U.S. Open, capping a remarkably rapid rise after sitting out 11 months because of foot surgery.

The 83rd-ranked Stephens is only the second unseeded woman to win the tournament in the Open era, which began in 1968.

This was the first allAmerican women’s final at Flushing Meadows since 2002 when Serena Williams beat Venus Williams.

It was also only the second time in the Open era that two women in New York were making their Grand Slam final debuts against each other. Stephens most certainly handled the occasion better, claiming the last eight games and making only six unforced errors — Keys had 30 — in the entire 61-minute mismatch.

Keys, 22, and Stephens, 24, have known each other for years. They texted and spoke on the phone early in 2017, when both sat out the Australian Open because of operations — Keys on her left wrist, Stephens on her left foot.

When the match ended, they met at the net for a long hug. While waiting for the trophy ceremony to begin, Stephens walked over and plopped herself down in a courtside chair next to Keys, so they could chat side-by-side.

Under a clear blue sky, in unseasonably cool conditions in the 60s, the 15th-seeded Keys came out pounding her serves, as usual, producing two aces in her opening game and cranking up the speed to 118 mph in her second. But that didn’t last long.

By Keys’ third service game, Stephens was returning with confidence.

Stephens won 16 of 20 points she served in the first set and didn’t face a single break point until 50 minutes into the final, deep in the second set. She had to deal with three in one game there, erased each with a winner, and held for 5-0. Soon enough it was over. She was a Grand Slam champion.