Venus, Stephens lead pack of U.S. early exits

The Associated Press Venus Williams lost in the first round of the Australian Open to Belinda Bencic.

Venus lost last year’s final at Melbourne Park to younger sister Serena, who hasn’t played a Grand Slam tournament since because of her pregnancy and the birth of her first child.

The 6-3, 7-5 loss for Venus Williams was her first in five career meetings with Bencic, who lost to Serena Williams in the first round here last year.

The 20-year-old Bencic saved five break points in the eighth game before a rain delay caused an almost half-hour suspension of play as the roof was closed on Rod Laver Arena. She returned on a roll, winning the next six points to hold serve then clinch the set.

“It’s amazing,” Bencic said. “When I was a little girl, I was watching them (the Williams sisters) on TV. I never thought I’d get a chance to play them.”

Williams’ exit followed U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens’ 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2 loss to Zhang Shuai.

No. 13-seeded Stephens was serving for the match in the 10th game of the second set but dropped her serve. She was outplayed in the tiebreaker and in the third set.

It was a bleak opening day for American women, with Stephens, No. 10seeded CoCo Vandeweghe and CiCi Bellis going out in the first round. The U.S. women were 0-for-7 in first-round singles by midafternoon.

Vandeweghe was leading in her first set before a rain delay, and Timea Babos rallied to win 7-6 (4), 6-2.