BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells

[CR42] Sloane Stephens (USA) vs. [CR94] Chanelle Scheepers (RSA)

Scheepers has no weapon to hurt Stephens; yet, surprisingly, it was Scheepers who got the first break. Both players were extremely tense and the result was very tentative play and a slew of unforced errors. Stephens made so many errors, she practically gave the set to her opponent; unfortunately, Scheepers is also having her own struggles with confidence and could not consolidate her break advantages. Scheepers, once again, was unable to hold serve to take it to a tiebreak and lost the first set.

There was not much improvement in play in the second set as neither player could quite shake the nerves.  Stephens elevated her game just enough in the second set to avoid the upset by Scheepers, winning 7-5, 7-5. Stephens will have to play much better if she hopes to defend her points from making the quarterfinals in 2014. Scheepers will be disappointed because she failed to win a match that Stephens tried her best to give away. She will be doubly frustrated considering she had set point and lost the set and the match because once again she failed to hold serve.