"Our situations are very different, I think she is carrying a whole country" - Sloane Stephens on difference between hers and Emma Raducanu's US Open wins
US Open champion Emma Raducanu overcame Sloane Stephens 6-0, 2-6, 6-1 to advance to the second round of the Australian Open on Tuesday.
Stephens was contesting her first match of the 2022 season and looked rusty from the outset. The American committed a whopping 42 unforced errors and dropped serve six times over the course of the match.
Speaking at her post-match press conference, Stephens said she didn't play too poorly but that Raducanu was simply better on the day.
"Well, I think obviously the first match of the year is always tough, a very tough matchup in playing Emma and I think, yeah, I didn't think that I played poorly. I think she just played better today and I think, like I said, it's the first match of the year for me, so I can't be too disappointed," Stephens said.
The American remarked that Raducanu came out all guns blazing and perfectly executed her aggressive gameplan, which made it difficult for the American to settle into the match.
"Well, I think she came out firing. I think we all, everyone saw after the first point she gave like a massive scream. I think it was just her game plan was to come out and be super aggressive and she did that well and obviously when you're playing someone that's playing like that they always tend to settle a bit," she said.
Stephens, who like Raducanu made a stunning run to the US Open title in 2017, was asked about the similarities between her and the Brit's situations. The 28-year-old was quick to point out that the Brit was carrying the hopes of an entire country, unlike herself.
"Well, I would say I, the only same situation is that we won the US Open, but our situations are very different. I think she is carrying a whole country and that's quite different than my win at the US Open," Stephens expressed.
"I think this is only the beginning" - Sloane Stephens on Emma Raducanu's future
Sloane Stephens was also asked how she felt Emma Raducanu was dealing with the pressure and hype around her following her US Open win. The American pointed out that the Brit was the much higher-ranked player of the two, and that match simply played out as per the book.
"I mean, she played me, someone she's like ranking-wise supposed to beat and, I mean, yeah, she won," Stephens said.
Stephens added that this was just the beginning of a long road for the Brit and that she would learn a lot from the ups and downs and "crazy experiences" she gets to face in her career.
"I mean, she hasn't been through much of anything yet, so there will be definitely some ups and downs and some crazy experiences that happen throughout her years and I think just, this is only the beginning," Stephens said.