After suffering a shock quarter-final loss at the US Open, Sloane Stephens is sticking to the positives about her performance at the tournament.
The 25-year-old crashed out in straight sets to Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova, winning just five games. On what was a hot and humid day, the American struggled throughout the match with her consistency on the court. Highlighted by her winner-error ratio of 13-28. To add to her woes, she has been hampered by what she described as a ‘bad sinus infection’ in recent days.
“I think today I just really couldn’t get anything to connect. Even when I did have my break opportunities, I just wasn’t playing the points well at all.” Stephens said during her press conference.
“Mentally, physically, I just wasn’t connecting. It just was a really tough day. The heat doesn’t make it any more fun.”
As a result of her US Open exit, she is set to drop No.8 in the world rankings when they are updated next Monday. Her lowest position since May. Nevertheless, Stephens states that she is proud of her US Open run. Saying that she didn’t ‘sh*t the bed.’ Prior to Sevastova, she scored back-to-back wins over Victoria Azarenka and Elise Mertens.
“I could have shit the bed in the first round, and that would have been really bad. So the fact that I made it to the quarterfinals and played some really good matches and I just competed as hard as I could, I mean, a lot to be proud of.” The world No.3 reflected about her performance.
“I can be proud of a lot of things that happened the last couple, the matches that I played, so I’m not going to dwell on it. Just keep building.”
Stephens ends her grand slam season with mixed feelings. Reaching the final of the French Open, but losing her opening matches at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon. This year is the first time she has reached the last eight of two major tournaments since 2013.
The next test will be the Asian swing where the American will be targeting redemption. Following her triumph in Flushing Meadows last year, she ended her season without winning another match. Something she hopes will not occur again.
“I hope that I can go to Asia and win some more matches and hopefully make the year end and hopefully keep going as far as I can.” Stephens said.
“There’s four more tournaments left (this year). I’m just going to try to play the rest of the season as hard as I can and hopefully have some more good results.”
Stephens is set to return to action at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. The tournament will get underway on September 17th.
