By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, May 6, 2019
Newly-engaged Sloane Stephens surged through the final four games vanquishing Victoria Azarenka, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2, to advance to the Madrid third round for the third time.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
It's been a life-changing spring for Sloane Stephens, who announced her engagement to Toronto FC soccer star Jozy Altidore last week and arrived in Madrid accompanied by new coach Sven Groeneveld.
In a time of transition, the Roland Garros runner-up got back to the business of winning today.
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Stephens steadied her game down the stretch surging through the final four games vanquishing Victoria Azarenka, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2, to advance to the Madrid third round for the third time.
In a match of Grand Slam champions, Stephens exploited nine Azarenka double faults topping the former world No. 1 for the fourth straight time.
"I feel good," Stephens said. "Obviously,playing Vika is always going to be a tough match. She's a great champion. I just played my game as best as I could today and I'm really pleased to get the win."
The eighth-ranked American meets with Alizé Cornet or Zheng Saisai next.
Today's rematch of the 2018 semifinals, was the first time Azarenka and Stephens squared off on a clay court. Though Azarenka swept their first three meetings in straight sets, Stephens has used her superior speed, bigger forehand and sounder serve to wrench control of the rivalry.
Serving at 4-5, Azarenka was up 40-love when Stephens answered with a five-point run. After Azarenka sailed a backhand long to gift the break and opening set, she bounced her black racket off the dirt in disgust.
Sustaining point-to-point intensity and maintaining aggressive court positioning can be a challenge for Stephens, who frequently made eye-contact with her new coach today.
The former US Open champion earned a break point in the sixth game but didn't do much with a return as Azarenka saved break point.
Imposing her game by taking the ball earlier than the American, Azarenka put together a run.
Stephens zapped an ace to erase a break point, but spit up her second double fault of the game then nearly whiffed as a crosscourt forehand buzzed by her. Azarenka broke again for 5-2.
Still, there were cracks showing in Azarenka's second serve.
Leading 5-2, 30-0, Azarenka completely lost her rhythm dumping three straight double faults to face break point. Calming the jitters, Azarenka finished off the 46-minute set despite winning just 13 percent of her second-serve points. Stephens, who grew a bit passive at times, hurt her cause with 14 unforced errors in the second set.
Holding a pair of break points in the third game of the decider, Azarenka set up a short volley but slapped a swing volley into the net. Thrown a life line, Stephens made the most of it spinning a forehand down the line to hold for 2-1.
That was a pivotal point as Stephens began to swing a bit more freely hitting her forehand with more depth.
The 26-year-old Stephens greeted a tame serve with a punishing return, pushing Azarenka back before bolting a diagonal forehand to break for 4-2. That shot prompted coach Groeneveld to pop up from his seat with applause.
Two games later, she exploited another Azarenka double fault closing the match when the Belarusian flattened a forehand into net.
Kiki Bertens banged 11 aces beating Jelena Ostapenko, 6-4, 6-3. Bertens, who has hit a Tour-high 207 aces, improved to 20-9 on the season.
The struggles continue for 2017 Roland Garros champion Ostapenko who has won back-to-back matches in just one of 11 tournaments—Charleston—she's contested this season.
The seventh-seeded Bertens, who was runner-up to Petra Kvitova in Madrid last year, will face Anastasija Sevastova next.
No. 12-seeded Sevastova did not face a break point in a 6-4, 6-3, sweep of Romanian Mihaela Buzarnescu.