Sloane Stephens began her maiden appearance at the WTA Finals with a three-set win to take the early lead in the Red Group.
Stephens beat fellow tournament debutante Naomi Osaka 7-5 4-6 6-1 on Monday night.
There was a shock in day two’s second match as Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands fought back to beat top seed Angelique Kerber 1-6 6-3 6-4.
Bertens, a late replacement for injured world No.1 Simona Halep, trailed 6-1 2-0 before staging an impressive fightback.
“It was a slow start but I was really happy to turn around this match,” said Bertens.
.@kikibertens completes the comeback victory at the @WTAFinalsSG!
Gets the win over Kerber 1-6, 6-3, 6-4! pic.twitter.com/qRomp8D8A9
— WTA (@WTA) October 22, 2018
“I had a little chat with my coach when it wasn’t going so well, so we decided to go a little bit more for my shots, play a little more aggressive and it worked out.”
Stephens will take on both Bertens and Kerber in the coming days as she looks to progress from the round-robin stage.
“I’m really happy to be through. Obviously Naomi is a great player and playing with a lot of confidence right now, having an awesome season,” the American said.
“We played a really good competitive match so it’s always an honour to play on the court with somebody that good.”
QUIZ: do you know your iconic WTA Finals photos?
This was a battle between the past two US Open champions, yet rarely did they play well at the same time.
It was full of momentum swings right from the start; Stephens broke for a 4-3 lead, only for Osaka to break back and move ahead 5-4 with some powerful shotmaking and serving.
Stephens suddenly stopped missing and displayed her athletic, defensive prowess, reeling off three straight games to take the first.
.@SloaneStephens get her first win at the @WTAFinalsSG!
Defeats Osaka 7-5, 4-6, 6-1! pic.twitter.com/7YM21JmfgV
— WTA (@WTA) October 22, 2018
The level improved somewhat in the second set and it was here Osaka wrested control of the match.
Frustrated at her inability to convert a 1-2, 0-40 lead into a break, she injected more pace and depth into her shots two games later to save a break point and hold for 3-2. A Stephens double fault made it 4-2, and Osaka stretched her lead to 5-2 after coming out on top of an entertaining nine-minute game.
Stephens staged a brief comeback but again a double fault proved her undoing in the 10th game, one that handed Osaka the break, and the second set.
Yet in the decider, Osaka couldn’t hang with Stephens, who had won their only previous meeting two-and-a-half years ago in Acapulco.
Surprisingly, she didn’t challenge an overrule in the second game that the TV broadcast revealed was incorrect from the chair umpire, an outcome that allowed Stephens to go on to hold for 2-0.
A fatiguing Osaka slumped to her knees on court as she missed a return to hand Stephens a 3-1 lead.
The American played solid, impenetrable tennis – as well as a fiery forehand passing shot winner on the run to break for 4-1 – while Osaka’s game unravelled through errors.
Two things are true:
1) Stephens is here to play.
2) Stephens is 5-1 against remaining Red Groupmates Kerber and BertensSo, watch out. #wtafinals
— ???????????????????? ????????????????? (@DKTNNS) October 22, 2018
At one stage late in the set Stephens won seven straight points to put the result as good as beyond doubt.
“(I) just competed really well. I never gave up. I knew that I was going to have to play some really good tennis to beat her,” Stephens said.
“So I just stayed tough, tried to stay as positive as I could, and just took my opportunities when they presented themselves.”
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