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NEW YORK(SMIWIRE,08.24.18)-The USTA held its annual players availability press conference today, prior to the start of the upcoming 2018 US Open Tennis Championship that will begin on Monday August 27 through September 09, 2018, at the newly renovated Louis Armstrong Stadium, Billie Jean National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows NY.

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Sloane Stephens is an American professional tennis player and current reigning US Open Champion, after defeating fellow American Madison Keys in two straight Sets( 6-3,6-0) at the 2017 US Open Women's Single Final Championship game.

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Stephens rose to fame in the tennis world, after upsetting then world ranked#3 Serena Williams in

three sets (3-6, 7-5, 6-4), quater-final match at the 2013 Australian Grand Slam and finishing that year #11 in the WTA.

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After numerous injuries that kept her on and off the tennis courts in the following years, Stephens returned from injury in the middle of 2017 and won her first Grand Slam singles crown at the US Open in just her fifth tournament back.

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Stephens entered the US Open ranked # 83 in the world, and Her first upset of the tournament came in the second round over No. 10 Dominika Cibulkova.  In the fourth round, she defeated No. 33  Julia Gorges  to advance to her first US Open quarterfinal and her first major quarterfinal since Wimbledon in 2013. She then defeated No. 17  Anastasija Sevastova to set up the first all-American semifinals at a major since Wimbledon in 1985, and the first at the US Open since 1981. 

Her semifinal match was against No. 9 Venus Williams, where Stephens finished victorious in three sets (3-6, 7-5, 6-4) and reached her first Grand Slam singles final against Madison Keys, who won the other semifinal against CoCo Vandeweghe. In the finals, Stephens defeated Keys in three straight sets (6-3, 6-3 & 6-4), winning her first Grand Slam tournament title and becoming the first American woman other than the Williams Sisters to win a major title since Jennifer Capriati won the Australian Open in 2002.

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In 2018, Sloane Stephens also won her first Premier Manadtory crown at the Miami OPen and reached a second Grand Slam singles final at the French Open. She is currently ranked # 3 in the

WTA and will defend her title in the first round of the 2018 US Open against Russia's Evgeniya Rodina.

 

 Sloane Stephens attended the 2018 US OPEN Media Day press conference today and during a Q&A from the press members, this is what she said:

  

Press: New experience for you. Talk a little bit about what happened when you first showed up here again, emotions and everything about being defending champion.

Do you feel feel a lot of pressure ?

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Sloane Stephens: Well, I've been back about four or five times  now. For me being here is super cool obviously again. But as defending champion, obviously a lot of stress, a lot of pressure. I'm just going to go out and handle it as best I can, just try to play my best. Obviously it's a completely new tournament this year. Just got out and do your absolute best and see what happens.

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Press: Success has its mixed blessings. Talk about how it feels, the demands ?

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Sloane Stephens: Definitely there's always a lot of extra things that happen after winning. Obviously an American winning the US Open is pretty big. Definitely a lot of things to do. A lot  less down days for myself. But that comes with the territory.

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Press: Obviously youhad a little bit of a show time after you won last year, but then talk about your season this year. Do you feel like you backed up the US Open, are comfortable with what you've achieved so far this year ?

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Sloane Stephens: Yeah, I can always do better. I think obviously, like I said before, putting my tennis first, making sure I'mable to have more success, have some good results is the most important thing. I think I've done the best I could with that.

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Press: Obviously you had a little bit of a slow time after you won last year. Do you feel like you backed up the US Open, are comfortable with what you've achieved so far this year ?

Sloane Stephens:Yeah, I can always do better. I think obviously, like I said 

before, putting my tennis first, making sure I'm able to have more success, have some good results is the most important thing. I think I've done the best I could with that.

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Press: It has been a busy year for you, Miami, French Open, Coming into this tournament, what are your expectations ?

Sloane Stephens :I think at this point I'm just trying to get better and better, trying to improve my ranking, win more tournaments, win more titles. Just because I'm defending here, still have six more tournaments after this. The season continues to go on. I think that I would love to do well here.

Obviously as an American, any American wants to do well here. Having good results in previous tournaments has definitely helped. I'm waiting on all these points to drop off, I'll have a little bit of a cushion.Just trying to make the most of it, like I said , win as many matches as possible, to improve my ranking. Obviously there's only two places to go from three. I'm just trying to do my best, making sure that I'm just staying as consistent as possible, having good results.

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Press: What are the most significant instances in your life in the last year by being US Open Champioship?

Sloane Stephens: Just more to do. I mean, everyone would say winning a Grand Slam, there's just a lot more expected of you. I think that is a little bit hard to adjust  to. I think in general, just less days for myself is what's really the only thing that's changed.

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