U.S. Open Champ Sloane Stephens Loses in 2018 Australian Open First Round

U.S. Open champ Sloane Stephens lost in the first round of the 2018 Australian Open.

After winning the first Grand Slam of her career at the 2017 U.S. Open, Sloane Stephens is out of the 2018 Australian Open in the first round.

In the opening match of day on Margaret Court Arena on Monday in Melbourne, China's Shuai Zhang defeated No. 13-seed Stephens 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-2 to advance to the second round.

The World No. 13 had a chance to serve for the match leading 6-2, 5-4 in the second set, but she was unable to close it out and Zhang clawed back to force a tiebreaker and a deciding set. 

Since winning in New York in September, Stephens has not won a match, losing eight straight to Qiang Wang, Christina McHale, Barbora Strycova, Anastasija Sevastova and others, and Camila Giorgi earlier this month.