US Open champ Sloane Stephens advances in Montreal

MONTREAL (AP) – U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens advanced to the Rogers Cup quarterfinals, beating Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2, 7-5 on Thursday in the hard-court event.

After Suarez overcame a 5-1 deficit to tie the second set at 5, Stephens broke serve for a 6-5 lead and scored four straight points to put away the match, ending it with a sharp cross-court forehand.

“Maybe the old me would have kind of freaked out,” Stephens said. “I was kind of like, ‘OK, it’s fine, she’s allowed to play well. Just kind of regroup.’ I did that. I was happy with that.”

Sloane Stephens, of the Unites States, returns to Carla Suarez Navarro, of Spain, during the Rogers Cup women’s tennis tournament, Thursday Aug, 9, 2018 in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)

The 25-year-old Stephens, ranked No. 3 in the world, won a hard-court title in Miami in March and lost the French Open final to top-ranked Simona Halep. In the quarterfinals, the American will face Anastaija Sevastova of Latvia, a 6-3, 7-6 (2) winner over 10th-seeded Julian Goerges of Germany. Sevastova, ranked 19th, won last month in Bucharest.

Ashleigh Barty, the 15th seed from Australia, beat France’s Alize Cornet 7-6 (3), 6-4. Barty will face Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands, a 6-3, 6-2 winner over eighth-seeded Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic.

Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, the fifth-seeded defending champion, beat Johanna Konta of Britain 6-3, 6-4, sixth-seeded Caroline Garcia of France topped Russia’s Maria Sharapova 6-3, 6-2.

In late matches, the top-seeded Halep faced 13th-seeded Venus Williams, and 14th-seeded Elise Mertens of Belgium played Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.

In rain-delayed, second-round matches, Halep topped Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-6 (9), 4-6, 7-5; the 20-year-old Sabalenka upset second-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (4); Konta beat Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 6-3, 6-1, and Williams edged Romania’s Sorana Cirstea 7-6 (4), 6-4.

Sloane Stephens, of the Unites States, waves to the crowd following her victory over Carla Suarez Navarro, of Spain, during the Rogers Cup women's tennis tournament, Thursday Aug, 9, 2018 in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Sloane Stephens, of the Unites States, waves to the crowd following her victory over Carla Suarez Navarro, of Spain, during the Rogers Cup women’s tennis tournament, Thursday Aug, 9, 2018 in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Sloane Stephens, of the Unites States, right, is congratulated by Carla Suarez Navarro, of Spain, following her victory at the Rogers Cup women's tennis tournament, Thursday Aug, 9, 2018 in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Sloane Stephens, of the Unites States, right, is congratulated by Carla Suarez Navarro, of Spain, following her victory at the Rogers Cup women’s tennis tournament, Thursday Aug, 9, 2018 in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Carla Suarez Navarro, of Spain, reacts as she faces Sloane Stephens, of the United States, during the Rogers Cup women's tennis tournament, Thursday Aug, 9, 2018 in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Carla Suarez Navarro, of Spain, reacts as she faces Sloane Stephens, of the United States, during the Rogers Cup women’s tennis tournament, Thursday Aug, 9, 2018 in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Maria Sharapova, of Russia, returns to Caroline Garcia, of France, during the Rogers Cup women's tennis tournament Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Maria Sharapova, of Russia, returns to Caroline Garcia, of France, during the Rogers Cup women’s tennis tournament Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Maria Sharapova, of Russia, returns to Caroline Garcia, of France, during the Rogers Cup women's tennis tournament Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Maria Sharapova, of Russia, returns to Caroline Garcia, of France, during the Rogers Cup women’s tennis tournament Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Caroline Garcia, of France, returns to Maria Sharapova, of Russia, during the Rogers Cup women's tennis tournament Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Caroline Garcia, of France, returns to Maria Sharapova, of Russia, during the Rogers Cup women’s tennis tournament Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Venus Williams, of the United States, returns to Sorana Cirstea, of Romania, during the Rogers Cup women's tennis tournament, Thursday, Aug, 9, 2018 in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Venus Williams, of the United States, returns to Sorana Cirstea, of Romania, during the Rogers Cup women’s tennis tournament, Thursday, Aug, 9, 2018 in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)

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