Signing off
Stephens wins 6-2, 6-4 in 70 minutes to set up a third-round matchup with Tsvetana Pironkova, who advanced earlier today with a 6-3 7-6(2) win over Denisa Allertova. That’s an excellent opportunity for Stephens, who in 2013 ranked as high as No11, to make it back into the second week of a major, where a potential Round of 16 showdown with Serena Williams could loom. For Watson, it’s a fourth second-round loss here in five years.
Stephens wins second set and match!
Second set: Watson 4-6 Stephens
An unforced error by Watson followed by a clever backhand drop shot by Stephens makes it 30-0. Watson takes a point but another error gives Stephens a pair of match points. A Watson forehand sails wide on the first and Stephens is through to the third round.
Stephens breaks!
Second set: Watson 4-5 Stephens* (*denotes next server)
A narrow miss by Watson to fall behind 0-15, then a cross-court forehand winner by Stephens to make it 0-30. Watson sprays a forehand wide and, just like that, a triple break point for the American. Watson sprays a shot long and Stephens has broken at love. What a devastating reversal for Watson, who’d just broken to move back onto level terms. Stephens will serve for the match after the changeover.
Watson breaks!
Second set: *Watson 4-4 Stephens (*denotes next server)
A glimmer of hope for Watson when Stephens nets a forehand to make it 15-30, then nets a backhand to give Watson double break point. And then another powerful forehand for Watson – her weapon of choice on the day – to secure the break.
Second set: Watson 3-4 Stephens* (*denotes next server)
Danger zone for Watson as a Stephens forehand winner puts the Briton behind 15-30. A vicious backhand winner to cap an extended rally gives Stephens a pair of break-point chances. Feels very much like the match is on the line here. Watson faults and Stephens jumps on the second serve, but Stephens mishits a volley winner. 30-40. Then Watson saves the second on another Stephens error and it’s deuce. A netted forehand gives Watson a game point, but it quickly goes south as Sloane fights back for another break opportunity. Watson comes to the net and Stephens nets the passing shot. Ultimately it’s Watson who prevails when Stephens sprays an error wide. The longest game of the match at eight minutes, 35 seconds.
Second set: Watson *2-4 Stephens (*denotes next server)
First-strike tennis to a tee as Stephens is controlling the points. At 30-0, Stephens is pushed back by Watson with a pair of angled shots to opposite corners then closes the point at the net to get within 30-15. But a pair of winners gives Stephens the game. Watson running out of carpet here to get the break she needs to extend the match.
Second set: Watson 2-3 Stephens* (*denotes next server)
Watson goes ahead 30-0 and showing better here, engaging in rallies, matching Stephens’ hitting. A weapons-grade forehand from Watson drives a ball past Stephens’ reach to make it 40-0. A double fault makes it 40-15, then mishit drop shot makes it 40-30. Poor decision, that. But Watson’s forehand bails her out as she keeps pace with the American.
Second set: *Watson 1-3 Stephens (*denotes next server)
Stephens charges ahead 40-0 before framing a backhand that sails across the court. At 40-15, Watson delivering some nice flat, angled groundstrokes to run Stephens ragged. Maybe her best point of the match there. 40-30. But then Watson bails Stephens out with an error, sailing a backhand long to give Stephens the game.
Second set: Watson 1-2 Stephens* (*denotes next server)
Watson gets the desperately needed hold but Stephens isn’t making it easy for her. Even in winning the game, she seems troubled by Stephens’ hitting. A string of errors by the American expedite the hold.
Second set: *Watson 0-2 Stephens (*denotes next server)
Stephens’ backhand down the line is dialed in. Needs just five points to quickly consolidate the break. Fine ball-striking from the American today, an all-around great effort that Watson thus far has proven unable to match.
Stephens breaks!
Second set: Watson 0-1 Stephens* (*denotes next server)
Disastrous start to the second set for Watson after showing better toward the end of the first. She quickly falls behind 0-30, then another error – a pushed forehand long – gives Stephens three break-point opportunities. A pair of winners for Watson – just her third (backhand) and fourth (volley smash) of the match – to save two of them, but Stephens makes her pay on the third to secure the break.
Stephens wins first set!
First set: Watson 2-6 Stephens
At 15-0, more sharp hitting and smart point construction from Stephens, who closes out the point at the net. Watson fights back to close it to 30-15, then a very heavy forehand from Watson – where’s that been today? – pushes Stephens back to push it to 30-30. An error from Sloane gives Watson a break-point chance at 30-40, but more powerful hitting from Stephens pushes Watson back on her heels and the Briton nets it. Deuce. A second break-point chance for Watson after a netcord winner, but it’s saved by Stepehsn again. Another error from Watson gives Stephens set point. A forehand winner down the line appears to be in – chair umpire Carlos Bernardes descends from his perch to examine the mark and confirms it touched the line. A bit of a dramatic denouement to that set, but Stephens the deserving winner in 28 minutes.
Updated
First set: Watson 2-5 Stephens* (*denotes next server)
Watson trying to give Stephens a different look by coming to the net but Stephens with a clinical passing shot down the line. But a few errors from the American give Watson a chance to close out the game. Stephens will now try to serve out the set with new balls.
First set: *Watson 1-5 Stephens (*denotes next server)
At 30-0, Watson nets yet another backhand to fall into a 40-0 hole. Too many errors. The Briton pushes a forehand long to give Stephens a 5-1 edge in the opener. Through six games, Watson has zero winners and 12 unforced errors. Not a good look.
Updated
Stephens breaks!
First set: Watson 1-4 Stephens* (*denotes next server)
The clouds have broken and the sun is out over Court 7 now. Adroit cross-court drop shot from Stephens that Watson returns only for Stephens to drive home the open-court winner, setting up two break-point chances. Stephens needs only one. Bit of a disappointing, error-riddled game from Watson as she fails to consolidate her break. Stephens hitting with pace and accuracy, looking formidable here.
Watson breaks!
First set: *Watson 1-3 Stephens (*denotes next server)
Watson gets the best of a long rally on the opening point. Then Stephens pushes a backhand long and all of a sudden Watson is within touching distance of a break opportunity at 0-30. Watson pushes Stephens behind the baseline with a deep shot which the American returns into the net, setting up triple break point. Stephens fights off the first, but misses long with the backhand again and Watson is halfway out of the early hole.
Stephens breaks!
First set: Watson 0-3 Stephens* (*denotes next server)
Stephens’ superior hitting the difference here. Watson can’t find her way into the points. Better there for a moment at 15-30, but she nets a backhand to give Stephens two break-point opportunities. Watson faults and Stephens jumps all over her second serve, showing excellent shot variety and point construction to make Watson run all over the court, finishing it off with a volley winner to seal her second break of serve in two chances.
First set: *Watson 0-2 Stephens (*denotes next server)
More great hitting from Stephens, who holds at love to back up the early break. Nervy start from Watson, whose error-strewn play made things easy for her opponent.
Stephens breaks!
First set: Watson 0-1 Stephens* (*denotes next server)
With Watson serving at 30-15, Stephens with some great ball-striking capped by a powerful backhand winner. Then, at 30-30, another backhand volley winner to set up a break point, which she summarily converts. A great start for the American.
Nearly ready here
Watson to serve first. A cool 64F down from 72F earlier today. Stephens looking for first win over Watson in four tries.
Preamble
Welcome to Court 7, where No16 seed Madison Keys has just made surprisingly brisk work of Belinda Bencic, winning 6-0, 6-3 in less than an hour. It was a matchup of two hugely promising comers who one day should be meeting in the latter rounds of Grand Slams. Perhaps the same could be said about the match to come between Sloane Stephens and Heather Watson, ranked No40 and No45 in the world respectively, who have just taken the court.
Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime why not look back at Simon Cambers’ account of Watson’s opening-round win:
With just one win in her past four clay-court events, Watson’s confidence was brittle but there’s nothing like a win to boost the spirits and the 23-year-old, whose ranking of 45 is just seven short of her career high, stayed focused against an opponent who one minute was slapping outrageous winners and the next spraying wild errors.
“I think I dealt with the important moments and points well,” said Watson, who will now play Sloane Stephens after the American ousted the former world No1 Venus Williams 7-6, 6-1. “I won them when I needed to win them. I didn’t necessarily do anything special. She was returning very well and hitting a lot of winners. But I knew she was going to, so I just made sure I stayed there, because I was also expecting some errors as well.”
Watson has beaten Stephens all four times they have played, including in Hobart in January, when Watson went on to win the title. “Every time I’ve played her I’ve played very well,” she said. “I’ll be a bit nervous but very pumped because I want to make it to the next round.”
