STEPHENS REACHES SEMI

American goes three sets to beat Sevastova

NEW YORK » Sloane Stephens is convinced that her run to the U.S. Open semifinals is not proof that she is back to being as good a player as she was before foot surgery took her off the tour for nearly a year.

Instead, it’s a result of being better than ever.

Able to summon big strokes when it mattered most, Stephens reached the final four at Flushing Meadows for the first time by edging 16th-seeded Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (4) for her deepest run at any major since 2013.

“My head is a little clearer, if that makes any sense,” Stephens said. “Before, obviously, I was playing well. I had won a couple tournaments and was playing well, obviously. But being injured gave me a whole new perspective on tennis, on life, and just in general.”

The 83rd-ranked American has won 13 of her past 15 matches, all on hard courts, reaching the semifinals at three consecutive tournaments for the only time in her career.

She was one of four U.S. women in the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows, the most since five made it that far 15 years ago. Stephens could face one of the others next: Her opponent Thursday will be No. 9 Venus Williams or No. 13 Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic, whose match was Tuesday night.

In the top half of the draw’s quarterfinals Wednesday, No. 1

Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic meets No. 20 CoCo Vandeweghe of the U.S., and No. 15 Madison Keys of the U.S. faces 418th-ranked qualifier Kaia Kanepi of Estonia.

Stephens went 11 months between tournaments because of problems with her left foot.

She had an operation in January, and while forced to stay away from her sport, she found a new appreciation for it. The time off also allowed her to enjoy other aspects of life.

“I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t do all the things that I wanted to do. But I did get to hang out with my family and see my little cousin’s soccer games and go to weddings and baby showers and stuff. All the things that I thought before I was missing out on, (now) I really wasn’t,” said Stephens, whose late father, John Stephens, was the 1988 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year for the New England Patriots, and whose mother, Sybil Smith, was Boston University’s first All-American in women’s swimming.

ADAM HUNGER — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Sloane Stephens returns a shot from Anastasija Sevastova during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis tournament. Stephens won in three sets.

ADAM HUNGER — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Venus Williams follows through on a shot during a quarterfinal against Petra Kvitova. This match wasn’t completed in time for this edition.