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The defending champ rounded into form at the end of that set. She hit 16 winners to 9 errors and, most importantly, 82% of her first serves in play. Mertens is still hovering below 50% in that category but is otherwise keeping the errors to a minimum. Sloane is simply grinding her down, getting that extra ball in play, and serving formidably.
First set: Stephens 5-3 Mertens* (*denotes server): Sloane Stephens will serve for the opening set after breaking Mertens a second time. Stephens’ touch and quickness were on display with a brilliant drop-shot/overhead one-two punch that game.
Written by Jake Nevins
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2018/sep/02/sloane-stephens-v-elise-mertens-us-open-womens-singles-live under the title “
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