Stephens suffers shock loss as Fish breaks drought
WASHINGTON: Sloane Stephens, coming off a quarter-final run at Wimbledon, crashed out on Monday in the first round of the Washington Open.
The 20-year-old American, ranked 15th in the world and seeded second, was ousted 7-5, 6-3 by Russia’s Olga Puchkova.
‘‘There were some [shots] I really couldn’t believe went that far out,’’ Stephens said. ‘‘The ball was flying everywhere. I just couldn’t find it. When you don’t practice well it shows. I had a couple rough days, and it showed.’’
Stephens is already trying to tamp down US Open expectations after beating current world No.1 Serena Williams on her way to the Australian Open semifinals, where she lost to then-No.1 Victoria Azarenka.
‘‘If I lose in the first round, don’t be upset,’’ she said. ‘‘It’s going to be my first time there playing under so much pressure and everyone expecting me to do so well.
‘‘Whatever people say or however they think I should do, they don’t practice with me. I just have to go out and do the best I can.’’
In the men’s draw, Mardy Fish, who has missed most of the past year with heart problems, won his first ATP match since March, rallying to outlast Australian qualifier Matthew Ebden 2-6, 6-1, 6-3.
‘‘I still feel a little uneasy and that’s to be expected. It’s not all going to be roses right away,’’ Fish said.
‘‘These will be the sort of situations I have to get through to be 100 percent. These sort of post-traumatic experiences are what I have to get over. A lot of it is mental. A little bit is physical.’’
Fish will face French 12th seed Julien Benneteau in the second round.
Australian qualifier Samuel Groth blasted 20 aces to beat American Denis Kudla 7-6, 6-2 to book a second-round match against big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic, while Australian Marinko Matosevic ousted struggling US veteran James Blake 6-2, 7-6.
‘‘The first set, I really served poorly, and he took advantage,’’ Blake said.
‘‘The second set, I fought back and had a chance. I didn’t make my shots when I needed to.’’