By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, June 2, 2018
Two points from elimination, Sloane Stephens staved off Camila Giorgi, 4-6, 6-1, 8-6, reaching the French Open fourth round for the fifth time.
Photo credit: Roland Garros Facebook
Flower power came to Court 18 and nearly knocked Sloane Stephens out of the French Open field.
Two points from elimination, Stephens snuffed out the scent of an upset rallying past the dynamic Camila Giorgi, 4-6, 6-1, 8-6, to reach the Roland Garros fourth round for the fifth time in the last six years.
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Clad in a floral skirt, Giorgi belted a bouquet of winners—44 compared to 21 for Stephens—served for the match at 5-4 and again at 6-5. But Stephens stared down the onslaught, kept calm and played cleaner at crunch time.
"I think I passed a test," Stephens told Tennis Channel's Jon Wertheim immediately afterward. "Obviously, I knew coming out there it would be tough. I struggle with her. She hits very hard and she's super unpredictable...
"I was thinking I gotta fight and if I fight every point I'll habe a chance. Even when I was down I kept fighting and it seemed to work."
The US Open champion broke serve eight times setting up an intriguing clash with Anett Kontaveit.
The explosive Estonian toppled eighth-seeded Petra Kvitova, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4), snapping the two-time Wimbledon winner's 13-match winning streak.
Playing on a career-high ranking of No. 24, Kontaveit will face Stephens for the first time in an opportunity match. The winner will play either Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki or Indian Wells finalist Daria Kasatkina for a semifinal spot.
The 57th-ranked Giorgi was poised to reach her first Grand Slam fourth round since the 2013 US Open as she swooped forward for a crackling backhand drive volley then smacked a forehand down the line breaking for 5-4.
The 10th-seeded American answered breaking right back to level.
Deadlocked at 5-all, 30-all, Giorgi stormed forward behind a forehand swing volley, carving out a forehand volley for break point. Giorgi scored her second straight break pasting a forehand down the line.
Serving for fourth round at 6-5, Giorgi was two points from victory.
Stephens refused to let her get closer. In a blistering backhand exchange, the US Open champion drew the error for break point.
The American's ability to cleanly counter Giorgi's jolting pace was a key to the match. Stephens' sharp-angled backhand generated a sliding error as she broke back for 6-all.
Stephens played with more control at crunch time committing half as many unforced errors (26 to 53) as her opponent.
Swinging more freely, Stephens drew successive backhand errors from Giorgi breaking to close a dramatic victory in two hours, 26 minutes.