Defending champ Sloane Stephens out of US Open
Sloane fails to defend US Open crown; Nadal battles past Thiem
New York, Sept. 5: Six-time champion Serena Williams shook off a sluggish start to power past eighth-seeded Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 6-3 and into the US Open semifinals. Meanwhile, defending champion Sloane Stephens crashed out after losing 2-6, 3-6 to Anastasija Sevastova. The US superstar Serena, chasing a record-equalling 24th major title, surrendered an early break to Pliskova, but she roared back with a streak of eight straight games to put away the opening set and take a 4-0 lead in the second against the woman who beat her in the semifinals at Flushing Meadows in 2016. Serena did indeed cut down on the errors, and came up with the big serves when she needed them. She finished the match with 13 aces and will take on Anastasija Sevastova for a place in the final after the 19th-seeded Latvian toppled defending champion Sloane. Pliskova, who managed to convert just two of 12 break point chances in the contest, said Williams was simply too good in the important moments.
Stephens ‘not connecting’
World number three Stephens, refused to blame the punishing afternoon heat and humidity for her lapses against Sevastova, including an inability to convert any of seven break chances in the opening set.
Sevastova herself relies on variety more than power, and she caught a slow-moving Stephens with a number of drop shots and drop shot-lob combinations.
After taking a 4-1 lead in the second set, Sevastova admitted she had flash backs to last year’s quarterfinals, when an 83rd-ranked Stephens rallied from a break down in the third to upset Sevastova in a tiebreaker.
Indeed Stephens fought back to narrow the gap to 4-3, but Sevastova grabbed another break with a well-timed drop shot for a 53 lead and sealed the victory on her third match point when a weary Stephens put a backhand into the net.
The defeats of Stephens and Pliskova completed the exodus of top 10 seeds, although Pliskova noted that Williams’ 17th seeding — nine spots above her world ranking as she continues her postbaby comeback — was not reflective of her true abilities.
Meanwhile, defending champion Rafael Nadal survived an epic quarterfinal confrontation to defeat battling ninth seed Dominic Thiem 0-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/5) and reach the semifinals for the seventh time.
In a gripping 4-hour 49-minute contest, world number one Nadal won through to keep his bid for a fourth title in New York and 18th Grand Slam crown on track.
However, the 32-year-old was fortunate to triumph on another hot and humid night at Flushing Meadows, 24 hours after Roger Federer had been dumped out of the tournament by John Millman.
After suffering a first set ‘bagel’, Nadal had to battle back from breaks in the third and fourth sets before seeing off the first top 20 player he had faced at the US Open since 2013. — AFP