For the rising American stars who are typically in the qualifying at the US Open, the pressure placed on their young shoulders can often be too much to handle. Over the years, the qualifying rounds have left a graveyard of names once touted as future champions, but who were unable to live up to what was expected of them.
Sloane Stephens does not look to be one of those players.
In front of a large, curious crowd on Court No. 11 at the USTA/Billie Jean King National Tennis Center that included U.S. Davis Cup Captain and USTA Elite Player Development Director Patrick McEnroe, three-time U.S Open champion Ivan Lendl, and USTA Executive Director Gordon Smith, Stephens came back from 3-5 down in the second set to defeat No. 7 seed Melinda Czink, of Hungary 6-3, 7-5, giving the 15 year old the biggest win of her young career.
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With a father, John Stephens, an NFL Pro Bowl running back who played running back for the New England Patriots, Green Bay Packer and Kansas City Chiefs, and a mother who tried out for the US Olympic swim team, Stephens has no shortage of athletic genes. She brings the best of both worlds to her tennis game, using supreme foot speed to set herself up to hit her signature powerful ground strokes.
From the start of the match, Stephens said she tried to take control of the baseline rallies by attacking Czink’s weaker serves.
“I could see that she was a little bit tight playing against me because of my age,” Stephens said. “I wanted to take advantage of that and get off to a good start right away.”
Czink broke Stephens early in the second set with a barrage of forehand winners, causing Stephens to look over nervously at her support group. With each player holding serve through the rest of the second set, Czink’s serve let her down as she tossed in two double faults while serving for the set at 5-4, allowing Stephens to level at 5-5.
With Czink serving to stay in the match at 5-6, the Boca Raton native saved her best tennis for the final stages of the contest, lacing two groundstroke winners to give herself triple-match point. On Stephen’s fifth match point, Czink netted a backhand to end the match. After displaying composure well beyond her years for two sets, Stephens finally acted like a teenager by letting out a beaming smile and raising her arms in the air.
“I just thought ‘Oh my God! I won a round in the U.S. Open!” Stephens said. “I know that winning a (qualifying) round isn’t a big deal for some people because they’re expected to, but I’m only 15, so this means everything to me. It feels like I just won Wimbledon!”
Stephens is scheduled to play her second round match on Thursday against Stefanie Vogele of Switzerland. Despite playing without any expectations, Stephens said she believes she can go even further at this year’s US Open.
“These (pro tournaments) are actually more relaxing for me than junior tournaments,” Stephens said. “There’s no pressure on me here. All I have to do is show up and play.”
