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US Open 2017: Sloane Stephens moves on to fourth round

By Maxwell Ogden

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 01: Sloane Stephens of the United States returns a shot during her third round match against Ashleigh Barty of Australia on Day Five of the 2017 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 1, 2017 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 01: Sloane Stephens of the United States returns a shot during her third round match against Ashleigh Barty of Australia on Day Five of the 2017 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 1, 2017 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /
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Sloane Stephens continues to make waves at the 2017 US Open. Written off by critics, Stephens is back in the fourth round at the final Grand Slam of 2017.

Sloane Stephens is in the process of making a tremendous return to the WTA Tour. Long heralded and stereotyped as the second coming of the Williams Sisters, Stephens is making her own name with the spotlight moved off of her.

Following back-to-back deep runs at Premier 5 events, Stephens is maintaining her superb form at the 2017 US Open.

Stephens made immediate noise by defeating former US Open finalist Roberta Vinci in the first round. She proceeded to upset Dominika Cibulkova, ranked No. 10 in the world, in the second round at Flushing Meadows.

With an opportunity to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam event for the first time since 2015, Stephens cashed in on a golden opportunity.

With a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Ashleigh Barty, Stephens has punched her ticket to the fourth round of the 2017 US Open.

Stephens struck 18 winners and converted six of a possible nine break point opportunities. She struggled with her second serve, but took advantage of a sloppy game from Barty to secure a huge victory that enables her to move on to the second week.

Stephens will now move on to play hard-hitting German standout Julia Goerges in the Round of 16, where both will be looking for a chance to reach the quarterfinal.

In the pursuit of redemption and reinvigoration, Stephens has been as much of a joy to watch as any player on tour during the summer of 2017.

Stephens has endured more than most tennis players her age, but the 24-year-old made a remarkable return to the WTA Tour. Injuries limited her effectiveness and eventually sidelined her entirely, but 2017 has been a revitalizing year.

After reaching the semifinals at the Premier 5 events in Toronto and Cincinnati, Stephens is playing just as well in New York.

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The question is: Can Sloane Stephens continue her stellar season by securing a victory in the fourth round of the 2017 US Open?

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