Sloane Stephens is in competition here at Roland Garros for the seventh time as a professional. She has played into the round of sixteen for the fifth time. Today, she squeaked by Italian, Camila Giorgi 4-6, 6-1, 8-6. Next up is Anett Kontaveit. When asked what she thought about the match-up, she said, “I don’t think I have ever played her, so I think it will be a good match. She had a good win today.”
Kontaveit, who is Estonian, has quietly moved into the world of women’s professional tennis. She is ranked twenty-four. She has managed to propel herself into the Round of 16 with her win today over Czech, Petra Kvitova 7-6, 7-6. The last Estonian woman to make it to that round was Kaia Kanepi. (Kanepi was here, but was defeated by Russian, Daria Kasatkina 6-4, 6-1 in the first round.)
Stephens has had to grind back from her foot injury several years ago. She did a fine job of winning the US Open in 2017 just months after her return. She’s looking to move onward once again into the rarified air of the last eight. Her play in the majors has usually been exemplary. There has always been something in the air at Slams that has invigorated her. The losses have been what tennis enthusiasts call “good losses”. (She lost to the eventual runner-up in 2013 – Maria Sharapova and then in 2014 to Simona Halep who was runner-up that year. In 2015, she lost to Serena Williams who was the winner.)
This time out she may not be satisfied with “good losses”. Williams is on the other side of the draw, so facing her won’t be an issue unless they face each other in the final. (Williams is returning to the tour after becoming a mother and hasn’t quite resumed her former fitness level. She has been playing strong and has even appeared in what she calls her “cat suit”. She swears that it gives her power.)
Stephens doesn’t have a cat suit; actually she doesn’t need one. The Nike clothing works just fine. She seems to be competing at a level that has been steadily improving since her comeback and lest folks think that the win in New York last year was a fluke. It isn’t. She has returned to the top ten ranked at 10, and is seeded the same here in Paris.
Ekaterina Makarova (Russia), and Stephens are the only two players who have never been ranked at number one, but have defeated both of the Williams sisters in Grand Slam play. (Venus fell to her twice, once at 2015 Roland Garros and again at the 2017 US Open. Serena lost in their match up at the 2013 Australian Open.)
Stephens is twenty-five-years-old now and playing her best tennis. She was asked to expound on how her career has changed since her return after nearly a year away recovering from her foot surgery. The blanket question covered not only her play, but the play of other women on the tour. She was quick to point out, “I would say I see the most change in myself. I do think that things are a little different since I came back. Missing eleven months there is a little gap. Obviously when I first came back I had some really great results, just being consistent, and wearing girls down. That worked for me. But after a while, it’s not going to work. You have to find other ways to improve and make sure you’re improving all the time.”
She pointed to her movement as the very best thing that has changed. “I think I have done really well to kind of pick up my feet a little bit. Yeah, I’m pleased with that.”
She should be pleased. While other players have struggled with their return to the game after a major injury, she has persevered. Her nature is what I would call bubbly. It’s France after all, and the country is known for the bubbly. She has managed to fit right in here in Paris and with a little bit of luck backing all that practice, she could definitely be the one celebrating with a little bubbly at the end of the tournament.
Article by Cheryl Jones
