By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, January 10, 2019
"When Sloane's excited about playing and competitive, she's No. 1 in the world," says Hall of Famer Chrissie Evert.
Photo credit: Miami Open Facebook
Sloane Stephens has experienced magic and mayhem in Melbourne.
Solidifying her status as a major contender, Stephens toppled Simona Halep, Kristina Mladenovic and Serena Williams en route to her first Grand Slam semifinal at the 2013 Australian Open.
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Lately, the Oz Open first round has been the final stop for Stephens' journey.
The 2017 US Open champion has suffered three straight opening round exits in Melbourne—absolutely astonishing for player of Stephens' caliber who has won five of her six career titles on hard courts.
The 25-year-old Stephens faces compatriot Taylor Townshend in her opener with a possible second-round match against Australian Open doubles champion Timea Babos or Ons Jabeur looming.
Stephens resides in the bottom quarter of the draw with reigning Wimbledon winner Angelique Kerber, ninth-seeded Kiki Bertens, Auckland champion and WTA ace leader Julia Goerges and Anett Kontaveit.
So which version of the world No. 5 will we see next week?
Will we see the dynamic champion who won Miami, reached her first French Open final and WTA Finals title match as well as the US Open quarterfinals last season?
Or will we see the slow-starting sometime disengaged competitor who suffered eight opening-round exits last year?
Former world No. 1 Chrissie Evert says when it comes to Stephens expect the unexpected.
The Hall of Famer and ESPN analyst suggests Stephens is an elite talent capable of reaching world No. 1 and mastering multiple majors—or falling at the first hurdle as she strives for consistency.
"Sloane's unbelievable. She can do anything with the ball," Evert told the media in a conference call to promote ESPN's Australian Open coverage starting Sunday night. "She is awesome to watch. She's great defense, great offense. We know the talent.
"I think that Sloane, when she has it all together, when it's a good day, she's really engaged in her tennis, in her shot-making, she's excited about playing and competitive, she's No. 1 in the world. I think she can win a Grand Slam, period."
That declarative period has looked like a question mark early this season.
Long-time coach Kamau Murray did not make the trip down under with Stephens, who lost her Brisbane opener to Johanna Konta.
Some analysts say enigmatic entrances are standard procedure for Stephens.
ESPN analyst and former U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe said don't be fooled by Stephens' early-season struggles.
McEnroe cites Stephens as a clear contender to take the title because she's the best pure ball striker in the sport as well as one of the best all-around athletes in the women's game.
"I'd be worried if Sloane Stephens had won a bunch of matches going into the major," McEnroe told the media in an ESPN conference call on Wednesday. "Are you kidding me? This is her M.O. She's absolutely a threat to win it. To me, she's the best pure ball-striker off both wings and mover in women's tennis."
When Stephens toppled the third-ranked Williams in 2013 some compared her style to a young Serena. McEnroe believes Stephens' game and career is more analogous to another iconic American champion: Andre Agassi, who is in Australia coaching Grigor Dimitrov.
Pointing to their immaculate ball-striking, fine footwork and ability to excel on all surfaces, McEnroe calls Stephens the Andre Agassi of the WTA Tour.
Agassi won four of his eight career majors in Melbourne and McEnroe says Stephens can "absolutely" win the tournament.
"When you talk about pure ball striking ability, she's the Andre Agassi of women's tennis," McEnroe said of Stephens. "Obviously she's doesn't hit the ball as big, not as consistent as Andre was in his prime.
"Honestly when I look at her results, again, maybe I've got the point of scratching my head. I used to scratch my head, but now I don't because I know Sloane is Sloane. If she gets hot, gets going, there's no doubt that she can win the tournament, absolutely no doubt."
Of course a primary difference between Agassi and Stephens is Agassi, at his best, straddled the baseline, ripped shots on the rise and robbed opponents of reaction time by taking the ball so early.
In contrast, Stephens is more comfortable camping out a few feet behind the baseline to give herself time to set up for her shots and get her body behind the ball. In that sense, you can argue Stephens' game is actually more like her childhood hero, Kim Clijsters, another outstanding athlete willing to use her speed to defend.
The next step in Stephens' evolution is to step in and selectively take some shots on the rise in Agassi style and apply her speed in a more offensive manner.
Interestingly, Agassi's former coach, Darren Cahill, worked with Simona Halep on her court positioning and taking the ball early. Halep showed that skill rallying past Stephens to claim her first career major at Roland Garros last June.
Ultimately, Stephens must improve her consistency and impose her own playing identity to fulfill her potential.
"Everybody's wired a little bit differently," Evert said. "It isn't a criticism when I say that Sloane is lacking in pure consistency, the consistency that a Wozniacki will have or a Kerber will have or Halep will have. She's lacking still in the consistency day-to-day, week in and week out.
"When she has her shining moments, they're awesome. She still has a lot left in her."