Sydney, Australia

Sydney: Sloane Stephens survives Ekaterina Alexandrova, 0-6, 7-6, 7-6

Jan 08, 2019
Sydney, Australia

Paula Badosa heads to Australian Open with big lead-up title in Sydney

By John Berkok Jan 15, 2022
Sydney, Australia

Sydney semis: Krejcikova saves seven match points to topple Kontaveit in gripping final-set tiebreaker

By Associated Press Jan 14, 2022
Sydney, Australia

Barty pulls out Sydney event, heads straight to Melbourne

By Associated Press Jan 10, 2022
Sydney, Australia

Kvitova, de Minaur win Sydney tune-up titles over Barty and Seppi

Jan 12, 2019
Sydney, Australia

WATCH: Barty speaks to press after win over Mertens in Sydney quarters

Jan 10, 2019
Sydney, Australia

In her first match since October, No. 1 Halep loses to Barty, 6-4, 6-4

Jan 09, 2019
Sydney, Australia

World No. 1 Simona Halep back in action at Sydney International

Jan 06, 2019
Billie Jean King Cup

Iga Swiatek overcomes Paula Badosa to push Poland past BJK Cup Finals host Spain

By Associated Press Nov 16, 2024
Betting Central

Line Calls, presented by FanDuel: Taylor Fritz vs. Alexander Zverev, ATP Finals

By Zachary Cohen Nov 16, 2024
Sydney, Australia

Sydney: Sloane Stephens survives Ekaterina Alexandrova, 0-6, 7-6, 7-6

Stephens recovers from early trouble to advance in Sydney

Published Jan 08, 2019

WATCH: Angelique Kerber d. Camila Giorgi

Advertising

SYDNEY (AP) — Defending champion Angelique Kerber moved into the Sydney International quarterfinals after beating Camila Giorgi 7-6 (3), 6-2 on Tuesday.

The second-ranked Kerber was under serious pressure in the first set before holding firm in the tiebreaker, then went down an early break before winning the last six games.

After a first-round bye, the Wimbledon champion is on a 5-0 roll to start the season after winning all of her singles matches at the Hopman Cup last week.

"It's always tricky to play against her, because she's hitting the balls really hard, especially in the first set," Kerber said. "I played Perth last week, but now you have the tournament feeling again."

Sloane Stephens dropped three service games in the first set and was only two points from defeat in the second before finding a way to hold off Ekaterina Alexandrova 0-6, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3) for her first win of the season.

WATCH: Sloane Stephens d. Ekaterina Alexandrova

Advertising

Alexandrova had a chance to serve for the match at 5-3 in the second set and led 4-2 in the third but fourth-seeded Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champion, rallied to survive the round.

"I was, like, 'It's not going to get any worse than this ... I might as well just play,'" Stephens said of her first set.

"I know at some point that I'd be able to win a game, I would hope, so just try and do that."

Stephens will next play Yulia Putintseva.

Ash Barty ousted 2017 French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 6-3 to advance to a second-round meeting with No. 1-ranked Simona Halep.

On another rain-interrupted day in Sydney, Aliaksandra Sasnovich ousted No. 8-seeded Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-4, 2015 Sydney champion Petra Kvitova had a 6-1, 7-5 win over Aryna Sabalenka, Hsieh Su-wei beat Danielle Collins 7-6 (4), 6-3, and Priscilla Hon defeated Tatjana Maria 6-3, 7-6 (4).

No. 7 Kiki Bertens advanced to the quarterfinals when Garbine Muguruza withdrew from the tournament because of illness.

In the men's draw, eighth-seeded Andreas Seppi advanced 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 over Jeremy Chardy, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez beat Denis Kudla 7-5, 6-4, and Andrey Rublev ousted No. 6-seeded Lucas Pouille 6-2, 6-3.

Seventh-seeded Marton Fucsovics beat James Duckworth 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 and John Millman rallied to hold off Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5.

_

More AP Tennis: https://www.apnews.com/apf-Tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports