Top Americans exit Down Under
Venus Williams among handful out in Australia
MELBOURNE – Opening day of the Australian Open for the U.S. women’s contingent was dismal with three prominent stars taking a tumble within the first five hours of play.
Fifth-seeded Venus Williams was gone Monday after an unforgiving 6-3,
7-5 upset by Swiss player Belinda Bencic, who never before won a set in their previous four encounters.
Thirteenth-seeded Sloane Stephens lost 2-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 to Zhang Shuai of China in her eighth consecutive match failure since winning the 2017 U.S. Open title.
CoCo Vandeweghe, seeded 10th and having spent the past four days in bed with the flu, was erratic in play and testy in personality in a 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 defeat to Timea Babos of Hungary.
“I did the best I could with what I had today and that’s all I can ask for,” said Vandeweghe, barely able to speak above a whisper. “I’ve seen the doctor, she’s given me some medication that I have no idea what it is, but it’s not working all that well. So here I am. I tried my best.”
“It’s life,” she added, when asked to compare this year’s Australian Open performance to last year’s semifinal finish.
To make matters worse, the American men also said goodbye to two of their three seeded players when 16thseeded John Isner surrendered to 76thranked Australian Matthew Ebden, 6-4,
3-6, 6-3, 6-3. No. 8 Jack Sock lost to Yuichi Sugita of Japan.
Considering the undesirable turn of events on this first day, the outcome leaves U.S. tennis fans wondering if any of the remaining American players are in position to make an impact in Melbourne.
Williams, a finalist to sister Serena in last year’s Australian Open title match, was a woman of few words after suffering her fourth career first-round loss at Melbourne Park.
To be precise, she spoke 159 words in 10 questions posed in the mandatory news conference.
“I think she played well,” said Wil- liams, looking as if she’d like to be anywhere else but where she was sitting. “I don’t think I played a bad match. She just played above and beyond. I just have to give her credit for that.”
She was particularly unhappy to be asked about Serena’s health complications — small blood clots — in giving birth to daughter Alexis Olympia.
“Serena is definitely a tough individual,” she offered.
A seven-time Grand Slam tournament singles champion, Williams was competing in her 77th Grand Slam tournament, the most major appearances by a woman in the Open era.
At 37 years and 212 days, the oldest entrant in the women’s draw, Williams is coming off a spectacular 2017 season. She was the only WTA player to reach two Grand Slam finals, which she achieved here and at Wimbledon.
“Last year is last year,” Williams said Monday. “This is, like, a new year. You can’t live in the previous year. It’s impossible.”
Bencic, who is ranked 78th and missed five months of action after having left wrist surgery last spring, was the more concise player on court, posting only 12 unforced errors to 26 for Williams.
“It was amazing, this match,” said 20-year-old Bencic, who had Roger Federer’s parents sitting in her courtside box during the match. “I think the level was great. She beat me four times before, so I was really happy I took my chance this time. Obviously, I’m just happy to be back playing.”
Stephens, who was sidelined by a foot injury that required surgery from the 2016 Olympics to Wimbledon 2017, has been bothered by a knee injury since winning the U.S. Open. At one point in the summer ahead of her grand showing at the U.S. Open, Stephens was ranked No. 957 in the world. Now, after losing her last six matches of last season, she stands at 0-2 in matches played in 2018.
“I wouldn’t call them tough times,” she said of not scoring a match victory since the Open. “Everyone is so depressed and so down. It happens to everyone. I’m going to beat someone eventually. I will have the best Instagram picture when I finally snap this losing streak.”