Stephens Stuns Sharapova at Western & Southern Open
American Sloane Stephens upset Maria Sharapova 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-3 at the 2013 Western & Southern Open on Tuesday. It was Sharapova’s first tournament back in a month and Stephens’ first win against Sharapova. Stephens was down a set and a break, and double faulted on two of her match points, but was able to come back and win the match.
”It definitely started out rough,” Stephens said. ”A set and 0-2, she was killing it. I’m glad I was able to turn it around and start playing good tennis.”
After an early round loss at Wimbledon because of an injury, Sharapova took time off to recover. She won the Western & Southern Open in 2011 and was a finalist in 2010, but Stephens got the better of her.
”I thought I started the match off pretty well, but when you put yourself in a really good position, you can’t let it go,” Sharapova said. ”That’s what I did tonight. I didn’t continue what I was doing well for the first set and a half, and that hurt me."
Sharapova hired Jimmy Connors to be her new coach in July, and he was in the stands during this match. Connors won the tournament 41 years ago. This was his first match as Sharapova’s coach.
In other news from the event, Jelena Jankovic, the 2009 Western & Southern Open champ, made it to the second round by beating Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-2. Roger Federer advanced to the next round by defeating Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 7-6(7).
”It was just really important to play somewhat of a clean match,” said Federer, who already has won a record five Western & Southern Open championships and improved to 7-0 in his career against Kohlschreiber. ”Straight-sets is always a good match. It’s a good win for me.”
