Venus Williams & Sloane Stephens crash out of Australian Open

By Esther Egbe

World number five Venus Williams and US Open champion Sloane Stephens were high-profile casualties on day one of the Australian Open recently but Roland Garros winner Jelena Ostapenko survived National Daily learnt.

Williams, who lost in the final to sister Serena last year, was stunned by Swiss star Belinda Bencic, fresh from winning the Hopman Cup with Roger Federer National Daily gathered.

The seven-time Grand Slam winner, in her 77th major, struggled against a player who had never before beaten her to go down 6-3, 7-5 and deprive the tournament of one of its biggest names.

It is the first time since 1997 that there will be neither of the Williams sisters in the second round, with Serena not playing after giving birth to her first child.

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Stephens’ poor run since winning at Flushing Meadows in September continued, with the 13th seed crashing out to Chinese number two Zhang Shuai, who made the last eight two years ago.

The frustrated American put in an error-strewn performance on an overcast and windy Melbourne day and has now not won in seven matches.

“I’m not going to get too down,” said Stephens after her 2-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 defeat.