NEW YORK(SMIWIRE,09.04-09.09.18)-The 2017 US Open Women's single defending champion, US   " Sloane Stephens " fell short to repeat to another US Open title, after losing to Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova (WTA#18),in two sets (2-6,3-6), in quater-final women's single match of the 2018 US Grand Slam taking place in Flushing Meadows, NY.

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Stephens, who was seeded #3 at 2018 US Open, had a great run of victories over Evgeniya Rodina (ranked# 81) in two sets, 1Rd(6-1,7-5), Anhelina Kalinina(ranked#125), in three sets, 2Rd(4-6, 7-5, 6-2), Victoria Azarenka(ranked #80), in two sets, 3Rd(6-3,6-3), Elina Svitolina, (ranked#7) in three sets 4Rd (6-3, 1-6, 6-0) and falling in the quater-finals to Anastasija Sevastova (ranked#18) from Latvia in two sets (6-2,6-3,), thus getting eliminated from the 2018 US Grand Slam at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

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Stephens got into trouble in the first set, when in numerous Break-Point chances, she was unable to score points and thus giving the upper-hand to Latvia's Sevastova to counter-attack and take control of the match, despite playing with some extreme hot-weather conditions in the court." Yeah, when you don't play big points well, the match can get away from you. I think that's what happened today. I didn't convert. I didn't play the big points well, and you don't win matches when you don't take your opportunities." Said Sloane Stephens at post-game press conference, when asked about her loss.

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In the second set, Sloane Stephens tried to recuperate and create some chances, but with the hot weather in teh court and Sevastova playing  a solid tennis, made it impossible to overcome the score with the match ending in favorite of Sevastova in two sets.

 

" 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. Mentally, physically, I just wasn't connecting. It just was a really tough day. The heat doesn't make it any more fun." Said Sloane about her preformance on the court Mentally & physically 

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I" I Iost my nerves a little bit. I think she lost also her nerves a little bit. Yeah, it's normal, I think. It's for semifinals of US Open. It's okay, I think, just to show some emotions.

Yeah, the game at 4-3, 5-3, this game was very important, and then serving on that side was easier." said Sevastova about Stephens, when tried to comeback in the second set

 

Anastasija Sevastova, was seated #19 and reached the quater-final match against the 2017 US Open defending champion" Sloane Stephens ", after defeating Dona Vekic in three sets 1Rd(6-2,2-6,6-3), Claire Liu(ranked#170) in two sets 2Rd(6-3,6-1), Ekaterina Makarova 3Rd(ranked #49), in three sets(4-6, 6-1,6-2), Elina Svitolina (ranked#7), in three sets 4Rd(6-3,1-6,6-0), and Sloane Stephens, in two sets (6-2,6-3), in quater-finals match, advancing to the semi-final match against Serena Williams (ranked#17), who also defeated Karolina Pliskova (ranked#8) in another quater-final match today." I won in the end (smiling). I think it was third time lucky. But again, if I would lose I would also be proud of myself. Three times quarters. It's not happening every year or every day." said Sevastova at post-game press conference.

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"It's always tough to play her, I think, because her ball is so heavy. She has big spin on the forehand. Also backhand. It's like it comes at you so fast. Also good serve and moving well.

It's tough, like, to make points against her, but I had to be aggressive. I had to try to come to the net, play some dropshots, move her, not let her play the game with her forehand, yeah, and make the winners."Said Sevastova about playing Sloane Stephens.

SLOANE STEPHENS                    VS                             SEVASTOVA                   

             0                              Aces                                     2

            1                               Double faults                       1

          81%.                            First serve %.                      66%

         54%.                            Win % on 1st serve            58%

         11%                              Win % on 2nd serve           61%

         2                                   Break points won              5

         0                                   Tiebreaks won                   0

        29                                  Receiving points won        27

        51                                   Points won                         67

        5                                    Games won                         12

        2                                   Max games won in a row    4

         7                                  Max points won in a row    9

       22                                  Service points won              40

       3                                    Service games won               7