Sloane Stephens US Open: Clara Burel comes back against American tennis star after losing first set 6-0

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David Suggs
• 2 min read
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Sloane Stephens' US Open run came to a swift and sudden close on Monday.

The American tennis star suffered a shocking three-set defeat to Frenchwoman Clara Burel, an unranked talent who has never advanced beyond a third round in a major tournament.

Stephens' loss was made all the more stunning by the fact that she opened the match by winning six straight games. Stephens showed off a venomous forehand and impressive court presence, flying from end to end with reckless abandon. A positive result appeared on the cards for the  31-year-old, whose sole major tournament win came in the 2017 iteration of the competition.

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Unfortunately for Stephens and all her supporters, however, Burel found her rhythm as the match wore on. The 23-year-old looked in anguish for much of the first 33 minutes of the match, dropping each of her first nine games. Then, she found life, overcoming a 3-0, 1-4, and 2-5 deficit in Set No. 2 to level things up at one set apiece.

Set No. 3 was a pearler of a watch, with both Burel and Stephens having moments of brilliance...and madness. Ultimately, though, it was Burrel who made fewer mistakes. As Stephen's returns — once fiery and precise — danced outside the baseline, it was clear she was on the precipice of an epic collapse.

Stephens' 7-5 defeat in the final set resigned her to one of her worst finishes in her US Open career. She'll have to wait until next year's Australian Open to get a chance at another piece of major championship hardware. Burel, meanwhile, will face Belarusian standout Victoria Azarenka on Wednesday.

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David Suggs
David Suggs is a content producer at The Sporting News.
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