Sloane Stephens of the US reacts with winning trophy after defeating compatriot Madison Keys in their 2017 US Open Women's Singles final match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on September 9, 2017.
PHOTO: AFP
Stephens took a $3.7 million top prize from the biggest victory of her career, pitted against one of her closest friends in the first all-US final since 2002 on the New York hardcourts.
"I should just retire now," said Stephens. "I'll never be able to top this. Talk about a comeback. Things just have to come together and the past six weeks they really have."
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With the 15th victory in her past 17 matches, Stephens became only the fifth unseeded player to win a women's Slam title, although Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko managed the feat at this year's French Open.
The only prior unseeded US Open women's champion was Kim Clijsters, who came back from retirement to take the 2009 title.
"It's incredible," she said. "I had surgery on January 23. If someone told me then I'd win the US Open, it's impossible. I'd say, absolutely impossible. This journey has been incredible and honestly I wouldn't change it for the world."
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Stephens made only six unforced errors in the match, which is significantly lower to Keys’ 30, who had 18 winners to 10 for the champion.
It was the first final set of a US Open women's championship match where the loser didn't take a game since Chris Evert beat Evonne Goolagong 6-3, 6-0 in 1976.
"I didn't play my best tennis today and I'm disappointed in that but Sloane was very supportive and if there's someone I have to lose to today I'm glad it's her. Sloane is truly one of my favorite people,” said Keys. "If you told me two months ago I'd be holding a US Open finalist's trophy I'd have been really happy and proud of myself."
Presented with the winner's check, Stephens said, 'That's a lot of money. Wow," but then handed the check envelope to best pal Keys, who she sat next to after the victory rather than on opposite sides of the umpire's chair, to take hold of the winner's trophy.
"Maddie is my best friend on tour," said Stephens. "I told her I wished there could have been a draw. I'm going to support her no matter what and she's going to support me no matter what. To stand here with her today is incredible — that's what really friendship is."
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