Fed Cup Final: Belarus, United States level at 1-1 after Aryna Sabalenka win over Sloane Stephens
US Open champion Sloane Stephens lost in three sets to Aryna Sabalenka as host Belarus and the United States ended the opening day of the Fed Cup final at 1-1.Sabalenka won 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 Saturday after CoCo Vandeweghe had beaten Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-4, 6-4 to provide 17-time champion the .
United States a 1-0 lead with the Americans trying to break a 17-year championship drought.Sabalenka won on a fourth match point when Stephens netted a forehand. A wild second set saw six straight breaks of serve before Sabalenka held in the seventh game. Stephens has yet to win some of the five matches she's played since winning the U.S. Open.Earlier, Vandeweghe faced a boisterous crowd at the indoor hard court in Minsk. “I believe that's part of experiencing your home court advantage and I'd expect exactly the same in the U.S.,” Vandeweghe said.Vandeweghe broke in the opening games of both sets at Chizhovka Arena, and didn't face some slack point on her behalf serve in the opener. In the 2nd set, Vandeweghe lost serve in the 2nd and eighth games but broke serve on three of four offerings to secure the match.
United States a 1-0 lead with the Americans trying to break a 17-year championship drought.Sabalenka won on a fourth match point when Stephens netted a forehand. A wild second set saw six straight breaks of serve before Sabalenka held in the seventh game. Stephens has yet to win some of the five matches she's played since winning the U.S. Open.Earlier, Vandeweghe faced a boisterous crowd at the indoor hard court in Minsk. “I believe that's part of experiencing your home court advantage and I'd expect exactly the same in the U.S.,” Vandeweghe said.Vandeweghe broke in the opening games of both sets at Chizhovka Arena, and didn't face some slack point on her behalf serve in the opener. In the 2nd set, Vandeweghe lost serve in the 2nd and eighth games but broke serve on three of four offerings to secure the match.
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