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By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, March 13, 2015

 
Sloane Stephens

Sloane Stephens earned her first Top 20 win since August with a 7-6 (6), 6-2 victory over 14th-ranked Angelique Kerber.

Photo credit: @BNPParibasOpen

Bouncing on her toes in the tunnel while listening to music before the match, Sloane Stephens looked loose and limber prior to facing Angelique Kerber today.

Seven minutes into the match, a sluggish Stephens was out of step and overmatched. The 14th-ranked Kerber streaked through 12 of the first 15 points, eventually extending that lead to 5-3.

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Tired of playing catch-up, Stephens tuned up her forehand, sped up her footwork and choreographed an impressive comeback.

Playing her most dynamic tennis of the season, Stephens scored a 7-6 (6), 6-2, victory to surge into the BNP Paribas Open third round for the second straight year.

It was Stephens' first win over a Top 20 opponent since she defeated No. 19 Andrea Petkovic in the Cincinnati opening round last August.

Given the fact Stephens carried a meager three wins on the season onto the court and looked tight and tentative at times in her first-round win over Chanelle Scheepers, today's triumph over a grinding counter-puncher and former world No. 5 gave her a much-needed shot of confidence.

"Obviously, it's only March with a lot of season left to go. I'm gonna take this one and take some confidence knowing I played a great player today," Stephens told Tennis Channel's Jon Wertheim afterward. "I love these courts. The fans are always really supportive. I've always played well here I don't know why."

There seemed to be little logic for her slow start.

The 42nd-ranked Stephens may well be the fastest woman in tennis, but her footwork and shot selection was reactive at the outset. She played as if waiting for Kerber to gift-wrap her with a mid-court ball rather than creating an opportunity of her own.

When Kerber slashed her first ace down the middle to seal a love hold, she had rolled through 12 of the first 15 points for a 3-0 lead. Kerber tuned up for her return to the desert hitting with a couple of Hall of Famers — former Indian Wells champions Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi — in Las Vegas and was striking crisply at the outset.

A two-time Indian Wells semifinalist, Kerber has not won successive matches since Sydney in January and looked more eager in the opening stages. Stephens squandered a 40-15 lead in the eighth game. She shoveled a backhand into net to face a third break point then flicked a forehand beyond the baseline giving the 27-year-old German the break and a 5-3 advantage.

The 42nd-ranked American has not won a match this year after losing the opening set, but rather than drop back behind the baseline and play retrieving tennis as she's done during stretches this season, Stephens opted to assert her forehand and footwork.

When Kerber gave back the break it gave Stephens a lifeline.

The sturdy German is the flatter hitter, but on the gritty, slow hard court Stephens' speed and topspin helped her create angles and stretch Kerber in the tie break.

Ending a barrage of heavy shots with an inside-out forehand winner, Stephens took a 5-3 tie break lead. A crosscourt backhand set up a bold forehand swing volley for double set point at 6-4. Shaking off successive errors, Stephens took charge with the forehand.

A crackling inside-out forehand gave her a third set point. Drawing the short ball with a wide serve, Stephens thumped another forehand winner to snatch the opening set as coach Nick Saviano leaped from his seat with clenched fist.

Kerber is a stubborn competitor, but her spotty results this year have strained her confidence. She got up a break in the second set, but couldn't create distance in rallies against the American's depth.

A flying backhand winner down the line helped Stephens break back at 15 for 2-all. Attacking behind a whipping forehand crosscourt, Stephens angled off a forehand volley breaking for 4-2.




The 2013 Australian Open semifinalist nearly doubled Kerber in winners (37 to 18) in a 93-minute victory that left her flashing a wide smile to the supportive crowd.

"You guys are always supporting me, you're like family," said Stephens, who earned her first main-draw pro win at the 2010 BNP Paribas Open.

There are now five American woman ranked ahead of Stephens, who said she will be watching world No. 1 Serena Williams' return to the desert from her hotel tonight.

"It's great for tennis, great for the game," Stephens told Tennis Channel of Williams' return. "I think the fans will love it. I think tonight's gonna be epic and I can't wait to see it."

She could get a closer look at Williams later in the tournament. They are in the same section and could potentially square off in the fourth round, but first Stephens must get past 22nd-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova.


 

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