The fleet, young American Sloane Stephens has discovered a new gear since her tentative and shaky opening-round match, which may have served as a wake-up call. Stephens cruised easily in the next round and on Friday afternoon sprinted past her compatriot, Jamie Hampton, 6-1, 6-3, in just 63 minutes. Hampton, 23, playing in her first major as a seeded player, looked considerably less comfortable inside massive Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Alabaman was unable to find her rhythm and the open court, and she sprayed 34 unforced errors. Though three years Hampton’s junior, Stephens has considerably more experience on the big stage.
She was a semifinalist at the Australian Open and is now 15-3 in majors this year. Both players have experienced meteoric rises in the rankings: Stephens entered the Top 100 in 2011 and has shot up to No. 16, while Hampton has vaulted from No. 628 three years ago to reach her current ranking and career high of No. 26. They are both impressive athletes with smooth groundstrokes and no fear of coming forward, and each has claimed two victories over Top 10 players this year. But Stephens sails more easily around the court and is more explosive, especially with her principal weapon, a forehand that she can whip with violent racquet speed. “It was tough to play Jamie, a good friend,” Stephens told ESPN’s Pam Shriver on court after her victory.
“This year has been a learning process – I love you too!” Stephens interrupted herself to answer a fan’s admiring call from the stands, “and I have just improved so much.” Stephens broke serve three times in the opening set en route to a 6-1 lead, and though Hampton appeared to be getting her teeth into the match in the second set, Stephens kept the pressure up. In the end, she played important points with more composure than her fellow Fed Cup teammate. Fittingly, Stephens broke serve for the sixth time to make her first appearance in the round of 16 at the US Open.
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