Venus, US Open champ Stephens crash out
Belinda Bencic (right) hits a return against Venus Williams during their women’s singles first round match in Day One of the Australian Open in Melbourne. AFP
MELBOURNE – In her first match at the Australian Open since a Williams sister was guaranteed to win the title, Venus Williams lost in the first round to Belinda Bencic and ensured it cannot happen in 2018.
Venus lost last year’s final at Melbourne Park to younger sibling Serena, who clinched an Open era-record 23rd major but hasn’t played a Grand Slam tournament since because of her pregnancy and the birth of her first child.
The 6-3, 7-5 loss for Venus Williams was her first in five career meetings with Bencic, who lost to Serena Williams in the first round here last year.
It was a bleak opening day for American women, with US Open champion Sloane Stephens, No. 10-seeded CoCo Vandeweghe, a semifinalist here and at the US Open last year, and CiCi Bellis, the WTA’s Newcomer of the Year, going out in the first round. The US women were 0 for 7 in first-round singles by mid-afternoon.
US Open finalist and No. 11-seeded Kevin Anderson was the highest-ranked man eliminated at that point, losing in five sets to Kyle Edmund – the only British man in the draw after five-time finalist Andy Murray withdrew. No. 16 John Isner lost in four sets to Australian Matt Edben.
The 20-year-old Bencic saved five break points in the eighth game before a rain delay caused an almost half-hour suspension of play as the roof was closed on Rod Laver Arena. She returned on a roll, winning the next six points to hold serve and then clinch the set.
Bencic teamed up with Roger Federer to win the Hopman Cup for Switzerland in the first week of the season, and had the 19-time major winner’s parents in the crowd supporting her on Monday.
It must have helped, having overcome the surprise when the draw was made that she’d have to play another Williams in the first round.
Williams’ exit followed No. 13-seeded Stephens’ 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2 loss to Zhang Shuai.
Stephens had a chance to serve for the match in the 10th game of the second set but dropped her serve. She was outplayed in the tiebreaker and in the third set.
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