By Tennis Now | Wednesday, November 1, 2017
Anastasija Sevastova stopped Sloane Stephens, 7-5, 6-3, in Zhuhai, avenging her US Open quarterfinal loss to the American.
Photo credit: China Open Facebook
Sloane Stephens ended Anastasija Sevastova’s US Open run in September.
Today, Sevastova gave Stephens the runaround in their rematch.
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The fifth-seeded Sevastova scored a 7-5, 6-3 triumph over the reigning US Open champion at the WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai in her opening match of the round-robin event.
Sevastova avenged a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (4) quarterfinal loss to Stephens in Flushing Meadows.
The 15th-ranked Latvian snapped a streak of three straight opening-round losses in Wuhan, Beijing and Moscow.
Sevastova used her drop shot shrewdly and player short, sharper angles to coax errors from Stephens.
The third-seeded Stephens has not a match since she swept compatriot Madison Keys to capture her first career Grand Slam championship at the US Open.
Wimbledon semifinalist Magdalena Rybarikova converted her seventh match point continuing Kristina Mladenovic’s recent run of misery, squeezing out a 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (5) victory.
The fiercely-fought three-hour battle was Mladenovic’s 11th consecutive defeat and it came in gut-wrenching fashion.
The Frenchwoman, who has not won a match since August, fought off six match points before succumbing in the tie break.
Rybarikova, who lost to Moscow champion Julia Goerges yesterday, evened her record to 1-1 in the Azalea Group.
The top four finishers in each of the four round-robin groups advance to the semifinals.
Ashleigh Barty dismantled Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 6-4, 6-1.
The 21-year-old Aussie served 68 percent, zapped nine aces against just one double fault and won 82 percent of her first-serve points in a 71-minute victory.