Western & Southern Open: Stephens knocks out defending champion Garcia

Sloane Stephens edged out Caroline Garcia 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Tuesday night and will play the winner of the match between No 10 seed Marketa Vondrousova and Russian Anastasia Potapova in the next round

AI/Reuters/Panoramic

Tennis Majors

August 16, 2023

Cincinnati Open •Third round • completed

See draw

S. StephensvsC. Garcia

American Sloane Stephens reached the third round of the Western & Southern Open by edging out Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia, the No 6 seed, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 at the Linder Tennis Family Center in Cincinnati on Tuesday night.

Playing with the American crowd behind her, Stephens certainly gave her home fans something to cheer about as she tore back from a set down to dispatch the defending champion and former world No 4 Garcia.

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With the home crowd on her side, @SloaneStephens dethrones Garcia 4-6, 6-4, 6-4!#CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/TIgKXi7WNy
— Cincinnati Open (@CincyTennis) August 16, 2023

With the match lasting two hours and 20 minutes, only four points separated the two women when all was said and done. Ultimately, Stephens’ ability to capitalise on Garcia’s second serve and her defense of have the break points she faced were what got the American across the line.

Stephens, ranked No 38, will play the winner of the match between No 10 seed Marketa Vondrousova and Russian Anastasia Potapova next. In the previous round of the Cincy Open, the American beat Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto (7-5, 6-2).