Highlights US Open 2017, tennis result, women's final: Sloane Stephens defeats Madison Keys to win title

The moment of the final – this heartwarming hug between two great friends!

Stephens will earn $3,700,000 for winning the US Open, nearly doubling her career prize money entering the tournament ($4,519,709).

On Monday, she will rise to 17 in the WTA rankings.

Sloane Stephens:

“It’s incredible. If someone told me after surgery that I’d win US Open, I’d say it’s impossible. It’s been an incredible journey. I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Madison Keys in the post-match ceremony:

“If there’s someone I had to lose to today, I’m glad it’s her,” Keys says. “If you told me two months ago I’d be holding a finalist trophy at the US Open, I’d be really happy and proud of myself.”

Sloane Stephens wins her first Grand Slam title, routing Madison Keys 6-3, 6-0 in the US Open final.

Stephens joined Kim Clijsters in 2009 as the only unseeded women to take the US Open title in the Open era, which began in 1968.

Sloane Stephens breaks once again to win her first Grand Slam title! 

She defeats Madison Keys 6-3, 6-0.

Stephens saves three break points to hold for 5-0. She is a game away from winning her first Grand Slam title. 

Keys sets up three BREAK POINTS but Stephens save all three with aplomb: a backhand winner, then a forehand winner and finally a forehand volley winner to cap the longest rally of the match so far.

Keys steps in on the next point and smashes the ball away for a winner. Deuce. 

Stephens hits an amazing serve and comes in to the net to volley it away. It’s advantage for Stephens. 

She holds for 5-0 after a netted backhand from Keys.

Very poor game from Keys and she gets broken again on her first double fault of the match. 0-4. 

Six weeks ago Sloane Stephens was ranked 957th in the world. She is two games away from US Open title.

First set summary:

Sloane Stephens has won the first set in the US Open women’s final.

Stephens broke No 15 Madison Keys’ serve twice and won the set 6-3. Keys hadn’t lost her serve in either of her two previous matches.

The unseeded Stephens used her strong defensive skills to keep rallies alive, and Keys lost too many of them while making 17 unforced errors. Stephens committed just two.

Stephens wins her 6th game in a row and jumps ahead to 3-0 in the second set.

Keys keeps getting close on #tephens’ serve but then her returns let her down. Up to 23 unforced errors now.

Two passing winners from Stephens and she breaks to start off the second set. 2-0.

It’s all one-way traffic at the moment. Keys needs to start making her shots to survive in this match.

Take a look at the stats from the opening set. A very clean set of tennis from Stephens, with only two errors.

Stephens breaks again to win the first set 6-3.

Keys, while serving to stay alive in the second set, falls behind 30-40 and it’s SET POINT for Stephens.

Stephens, who hadn’t committed any unforced errors so far, makes two in this game and we are back at deuce.

Gutsy hitting from Keys on the next point and she wins a long rally with an inside-out forehand winner. Advantage for Keys.

Stephens hits deep returns and waiting for an error from Keys. The 15th seed dumps an easy forehand into the net and then overhits her shot on the next point and it’s SET POINT #2 for Stephens. She seals the set this time.

Sloane Stephens needs just 30 minutes to win the first set 6-3 over an erratic Madison Keys.

Sloane playing smart and consistent and is a set away from her first Grand Slam title.

Stephens edges ahead 5-3, a game away from taking the opening set.

At 40-0, Stephens tried to end the point early by hitting a drop shot from the baseline.

Keys chases it down and and gets a short reply from Stephens. She wins the point by easily putting the ball away into the open court. 

Service return winner from Keys makes it 40-30 but Stephens manages to hold.

Keys holds for 3-4.

Stephens attacks a Keys second serve and wins the point with a forehand winner down the line.

Keys comes up with a pair of service winners to make it 30-15. 

She sprays a forehand wide for 30-all.

Keys comes to net again and wins the point on a volley winner into the open court, then holds when Stephens sends a forehand wide.

An easy hold for the No15 seed, and she needed that.

Stephens consolidates to lead 4-2.

Keys gets to 15-30 on Stephens’ serve but is unable to put pressure on her opponent. 

Stephens playing a very composed match so far. 

Keys dumps another shot into the net and it’s 4-2.

Unforced errors: Keys 12, Stephens 0.

Stephens break for 3-2.

First BREAK POINTS of the match for Stephens after Keys overhits a backhand down the line.

On the next point, Keys can’t control her forehand and she hands the break to Stephens.

Just too many errors off Keys’ racquet at the moment.

Two more quick holds by Keys and Stephens and it’s 2-2 in the opening set.

Love-hold by Stephens to make it 1-1.

Stephens responds with an even quicker hold. A few errors from Keys but Stephens hitting the ball really well early on.

Keys starts off the match with a hold to 15. 1-0.

She loses the first point by dumping a forehand into the net, but follows that up with two great serves – 03mph and 111mph.

Stephens then misses on a backhand and Keys holds for 1-0.

Ready? Play!

Madison Keys to serve first.

The players are out on court and are warming up!

We are just minutes away from live tennis action.

At 83rd in the world rankings, Sloane Stephens would be the fourth-lowest-ranked Grand Slam champion since computer rankings began in 1975.

Evonne Goolagong was unranked when she won the 1977 Australian Open after giving birth to her first daughter seven months earlier.

Kim Clijsters was unranked after coming out of retirement when she won the 2009 US Open.

And Chris O’Neil was ranked 111th when she won the 1978 Australian Open.

No matter which American captures the title on Saturday, it will be the fifth time in the past nine Grand Slam events that a first-time Slam champion is crowned.

The run of new major winners began on the New York hardcourts and includes Italy’s Flavia Pennetta at the 2015 US Open, Germany’s Angelique Kerber at the 2016 Australian Open, Spain’s Garbine Muguruza at the 2016 French Open and Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko at this year’s French Open.

The last American to become a first-time Slam winner was Jennifer Capriati at the 2001 Australian Open.

Head-to-head record:

Sloane Stephens leads Madison Keys 1-0. 

At Miami in 2015, Stephens won 6-4, 6-2

Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens are meeting in the first all-American final at the US Open since the Williams sisters played each other for the title in 2002.

Neither the 15th-seeded Keys nor the unseeded Stephens had ever participated in a Grand Slam title match before Saturday at Flushing Meadows.

Keys is 22; Stephens is 24.

Both are playing the best tennis of their careers after having surgery.

Keys had an operation on her left wrist during the offseason, missed the first two months of 2017, then needed another procedure on that arm in June.

Stephens was sidelined for 11 months because of a stress fracture in her left foot. She had surgery in January and returned to the tour in July.

US Open 2017: Sloane Stephens-Madison Keys final heralds glorious new era for American tennishttp://www.firstpost.com

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the US Open women’s final. 

15th seed Madison Keys takes on unseeded Sloane Stephens with both players looking for their first Grand Slam final. 

The match starts at 1.30 am IST. Stay tuned for live updates and scores.