Tennis - US Open Tennis - US Open - Womens Final - New York, U.S. - September 9, 2017 - Sloane Stephens of the United States reacts with the trophy after defeating Madison Keys of the United States. REUTERS/Mike Segar

By Julien Pretot

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sloane Stephens stayed composed throughout the U.S. Open final, playing near-perfect tennis to win her maiden grand slam title with a 6-3 6-0 victory against Madison Keys as the future of American women's tennis seemed assured on Saturday.

The 24-year-old, back this summer from almost a year off the courts because of a foot injury, was never in trouble as her defensive play derailed the 15th-seeded Keys, who was playing with a heavily bandaged right thigh.

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"It's incredible. I honestly had surgery Jan 23 and if someone had told me I'd win the U.S. Open I would have said it's impossible," said the unseeded Stephens who, after celebrating, sat down and chatted with Keys.

"Madi is one of my best friends on tour and to play her here, I wouldn't have wanted to play anyone else. I told her I wish it could be a draw and if it was the other way around she'd do the same. To stand here with her today is incredible, that's what real friendship is."

Keys noted, "Sloane is truly one of my favorite people and to get to play her was really special. Obviously I didn't play my best tennis today and I was really disappointed but Sloane was very supportive and if there was someone I had to lose to today I'm glad it's her."

FILLING A VOID

The friendship could also develop into a great rivalry as both women showed throughout the tournament, and before that, that they could be competing for majors for a while.

"In America, women's tennis needs to be really high level because it has always been and they need to be filling up the void after the Williams sisters," former world number one Mats Wilander told Reuters.

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Venus Williams, 37, was one of four Americans in the semi-finals but her sister Serena did not take part in the tournament because of the birth of her first child.

In the first all-American U.S. Open women's final since Serena beat Venus in 2002, Stephens made only six unforced errors to frustrate Keys.

It was a remarkable turnaround for Stephens, who six weeks ago was still ranked 957th by the WTA.

She sealed a straightforward win on her third match point when Keys sent yet another forehand into the net.

Stephens welcomed the biggest victory of her career with a low-key smile, going into the Arthur Ashe Stadium stands to hug her coach, Kamau Murray, before embracing her mother.

SURGERY

Stephens, who will pocket a record $3.7 million check, underwent foot surgery in late January and made her competitive comeback at Wimbledon.

Saying earlier she was simply happy to be running around on courts, Stephens did a lot of running on Saturday to deny the 22-year-old Keys in what turned out to be a one-sided contest.

Stephens played her usual defensive tennis, forcing her opponent to make the extra shot and testing her patience.

She was rewarded with two break points in the fifth game of the first set, converting the first one when Keys again failed to wait for the right moment to accelerate and fired a forehand long.

Stephens held comfortably and bagged the set on her second occasion, Keys hitting a backhand long, her 17th unforced error -- compared to Stephens's only two.

Keys showed signs of frustration as she felt the game was slipping away.

Stephens moved to 40-0 up on Keys's serve in the following game with a perfect backhand passing shot.

Another ill-timed rush to the net, though, cost Keys a break, Stephens punishing her with a delightful dipping forehand passing shot.

Keys fell 4-0 down when she hit a double fault and although she had her first break points of the match in the fifth game, Stephens held.

Keys hit the ball harder and harder but it would always come back and she needed a 19-shot rally to save her second match point. On the third, she hit her 30th unforced error of the day.

(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Gene Cherry)</s>The US Open continues Saturday in New York with the US Open Finals. Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys will square off, as each player tries to win their first career Grand Slam. The women's final will be played Saturday and the men's final on Sunday. Here's everything you need to know about the season's final Grand Slam.

Sloane Stephens vs. No. 15 Madison Keys (4 p.m. ET)

Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys are both bouncing back from injury. They're both young American stars. And they're both playing for their first career Grand Slam.

Stephens, a 24-year-old player that was watching tennis from home last year sidelined by an injury, has had an outstanding Open, and she's coming off of a victory over No. 9 Venus Williams in the semifinals. Her last three opponents have been ranked, and she's taken her last three matches in three sets. It hasn't been easy, but in its own right that makes her run incredibly impressive.

Keys is coming off a win over fellow American CoCo Vandeweghe, whom she dominated for two sets in a sweep. Four of her last five opponents have been ranked, and she's beaten every single one of them handily.

Kevin Anderson and Rafael Nadal will be advancing to the finals on Sunday, with Anderson beating Pablo Carreno Busta in four sets and Nadal dominating Juan Martin del Potro after dropping the first set. Del Potro's run ends against the world No. 1, and he may have had the toughest draw in the Open. He had to defeat Federer just to play Nadal Friday, and the world's 24th ranked player came up just shy. Anderson is the same age as Nadal at 31, as both players continue to prove that age is but a number. The key difference is that Nadal knows this stage -- he's playing for his 16th Grand Slam while Anderson is seeking his first.

Everybody left in the women's semifinals was on the American team, but when your team is the only one left sometimes you have to eat other. Venus Williams fell just shy of her third Grand Slam final berth of the season, as Sloane Stephens was able to best her in three sets. Stephens was speechless after the match, and it completes a stunning comeback tour for the young star until her finals appearance. She'll be facing off with Madison Keys, who decisively defeated No. 20 CoCo Vandeweghe 6-1 6-2. Keys will be favored heading into the match with Stephens, but Stephens has been playing up to her competition all tournament -- and winning.

When (and what channel) is it on?

Matches will be on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN3 (along with the Tennis Channel) throughout the tournament.

The women's final will be Saturday, Sept. 9 and the men's final will be Sunday, Sept. 10. Both will begin on ESPN at 4 p.m.

The matches can be streamed on the Watch ESPN app, which can be found here.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report</s>Sloane Stephens dominated a shaky Madison Keys in the U.S. Open final and won 6-3, 6-0 on Saturday to earn her first Grand Slam title, capping a remarkably rapid rise after sitting out 11 months because of foot surgery.

The 83rd-ranked Stephens is only the second unseeded woman to win the tournament in the Open era, which began in 1968.

This was the first all-American women’s final at Flushing Meadows since 2002, when Serena Williams beat Venus Williams.

It was also only the second time in the Open era that two women in New York were making their Grand Slam final debuts against each other.

Keys, 22, and Stephens, 24, have known each other for years and are close friends. They texted and spoke on the phone early in 2017, when both sat out the Australian Open because of operations — Keys on her left wrist, Stephens on her left foot.

When the match ended, they met at the net for a hug.</s>Sloane Stephens dominated a shaky Madison Keys in the U.S. Open final and won 6-3, 6-0 on Saturday to earn her first Grand Slam title, capping a remarkably rapid rise after sitting out 11 months because of foot surgery.

The 83rd-ranked Stephens is only the second unseeded woman to win the tournament in the Open era, which began in 1968.

This was the first all-American women’s final at Flushing Meadows since 2002, when Serena Williams beat Venus Williams.

It was also only the second time in the Open era that two women in New York were making their Grand Slam final debuts against each other.

Keys, 22, and Stephens, 24, have known each other for years and are close friends. They texted and spoke on the phone early in 2017, when both sat out the Australian Open because of operations — Keys on her left wrist, Stephens on her left foot.

When the match ended, they met at the net for a hug.</s>Sloane Stephens dominated a shaky Madison Keys in the U.S. Open final and won 6-3, 6-0 on Saturday to earn her first Grand Slam title, capping a remarkably rapid rise after sitting out 11 months because of foot surgery.

The 83rd-ranked Stephens is only the second unseeded woman to win the tournament in the Open era, which began in 1968.

This was the first all-American women’s final at Flushing Meadows since 2002, when Serena Williams beat Venus Williams.

It was also only the second time in the Open era that two women in New York were making their Grand Slam final debuts against each other.

Keys, 22, and Stephens, 24, have known each other for years and are close friends. They texted and spoke on the phone early in 2017, when both sat out the Australian Open because of operations — Keys on her left wrist, Stephens on her left foot.

When the match ended, they met at the net for a hug.</s>Sep 7, 2017; New York, NY, USA; Madison Keys of the United States serves to CoCo Vandeweghe of the United States on day eleven of the U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A look at the form and records of American Madison Keys and compatriot Sloane Stephens ahead of Saturday's U.S. Open final (prefix number denotes seeding):

Keys, armed with one of the most powerful forehands on the tour, dropped just three games to knock out compatriot CoCo Vandeweghe in the semi-finals.

The 22-year-old, who missed the first two months of the season with a wrist injury, has peaked at the right time after lifting the title in Stanford last month.

Stephens, who is returning from a long-term foot injury, has continued her remarkable revival at the U.S. Open after reaching the semi-finals in Toronto and Cincinnati last month.

The 24-year-old produced a stellar performance to knock out two-time champion Venus Williams to reach her maiden grand slam final.</s>Madison Keys of the United States and Sloane Stephens pose during the trophy presentation after the Women’s Singles finals match on Day Thirteen of the 2017 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 9, 2017 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Sloane Stephens defeated Madison Keys in the second set with a score of 6-3, 6-0.

NEW YORK — Sandra Montrose and her daughter, Vernique, attended the US Open women’s final last year hoping to witness Serena Williams win another Grand Slam. But when Williams was bounced in the semifinals, the two were left disappointed.

There was no Williams in this year’s final, but less than 30 minutes after watching Sloane Stephens claim her first Grand Slam title on Saturday, mother and daughter sat outside of Arthur Ashe Stadium proudly raising a glass to the new champion.

“Venus and Serena Williams opened the door for this to happen,” said Sandra Montrose, who lives in Harlem. “We’re so proud of Sloane winning the championship, and Madison [Keys] getting this far. We look forward to the two of them helping change the whole look for tennis.”

Whether you want to tag it #BlackGirlsRock or #BlackGirlMagic, the 2017 version of the US Open has ushered in a change of complexion for American women’s tennis. Saturday’s final was the first time that a Grand Slam event featured two African-American women not named Williams.

Three of the four American semifinalists were women of color (Stephens, Keys and Venus Williams). With the long-known talent of Stephens, 24, and Keys, 22, finally ascending to championship levels as the Williams sisters reach the final chapters of their Hall of Fame careers, it appears women of color will continue to have a prominent place in the sport.

“I introduced tennis to my niece, who’s 11, and seeing these role models is important because there haven’t been a lot of people who look like her to get excited about,” said Caroline Lovelace of New York. “I want my niece to be inspired by Sloane and Madison, just like the two of them were inspired by the Williams sisters.”

The cultural significance of the final was a major reason for Alexandra Clark to bring her two tennis-playing daughters, Sumaya, 9, and Anissa, 5, to Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“I think it’s super important for them to have role models in the sport that look like them because we don’t have that many,” said Clark, who lives in New York. “Whenever I can share a moment that can help have an impact on their lives, I try to do it.”

That’s exactly why Toson Bartlett from the Bronx brought his 9-year-old daughter, Tionne, to the final. Bartlett was never really a tennis fan until he began working at the US Open two years ago. He began to appreciate the sport once he saw it live and is hoping that watching Saturday’s match has the same impact on his daughter.

“She’s not really into tennis, but she’s an all-around sports fan,” Bartlett said. “These women are showing the growth and opportunity that’s available in sports where there hasn’t been a lot of diversity.”

Like Bartlett’s daughter, Sandra Montrose wasn’t really a fan of tennis outside of following the Williams sisters. “I enjoyed watching them,” she said. “But I couldn’t tell you about either ‘love’ or a set.”

That began to change when her daughter three years ago issued a challenge, promising her mother that she would take her to the US Open if she learned more about the sport.

Now Sandra’s a fully invested fan of tennis, which is sure to continue with the growth of Stephens and Keys.

“To be here again, and to witness Stephens winning, means everything,” Montrose said. “I’m just so thankful to see Stephens win, and I’m thankful for my daughter for bringing me here.”</s>NEW YORK, Sept 9 (Reuters) - A look at the road to U.S. Open final for American Madison Keys and compatriot Sloane Stephens ahead of Saturday's clash at Arthur Ashe Stadium (prefix denotes seeding).</s>Can the legacy of Serena Williams and Venus Williams continue in tennis once these two American legends call it a day? Of course, there's a very big chance. This year's US Open 2017 women's tennis final remains a testament to that.

Sloane Stephens, 24, takes on Madison Keys, 22, in the all-important match this Saturday.

The US Open 2017 saw an absence from Serena Williams and the early exits of Karolina Pliskova, Angelique Kerber and Maria Sharapova, meanwhile, took the sheen away from the women's tennis competition at the Flushing Meadows this year.

And then, the all-American women's singles semifinals happened and the interest regenerated.

Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens have played just once before, in the second round of Miami in 2015.

"There are NO words to describe how proud and how happy I am for Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens for making the US open finals. These amazing women continue to change the game and bring excellence, power, finesse and change to tennis. [sic]," wrote the veteran Serena Williams on Twitter.

"What a joy it will be to watch this- hopefully first of many finals. Let's go ladies!"

While Stephens defeated Venus Williams to reach the final, Madison defeated CoCo Vandeweghe.</s>U.S.A! U.S.A! We were guaranteed an American champion at the US Open as Madison Keys went up against Sloane Stephens in the women’s final. Ultimately Sloane took the victory in the Grand Slam tourney and we’ve got the details!

Going in to the 2017 US Open women’s final match, we knew an American would claim victory as Florida’s Sloane Stephens, 24, squared off against 22-year-old Illinois native Madison Keys. This was the first Grand Slam final for both ladies so it was undoubtedly an emotional match. Sloane eventually claimed victory in an incredible 6-3, 6-0 win. Although the match lasted just over an hour, Sloane’s flawless performance made for compelling viewing. The intense face-off pitted Keys’ strong game at the net with Stephen’s steady poise. In the end, the Floridian’s calm playing trounced Madison’s nervous energy. The two women, who are dear friends, embraced afterwards.

Going into the match, 15th ranked Madison said, “What better place to be in your first Slam final than at home with a great crowd who’s going to be behind both of us,” and she was so right. Two ladies playing in front of their fellow Americans had the crowd at Flushing, NY’s Arthur Ashe Stadium cheering them both on so hard! There was no favorite, as fans were so proud of both of the players having the biggest moment of their careers in the Grand Slam tournament that represents their home country. This was the first time in 15 years that two American women appeared in the final, the last ones were Serena Williams, 35, and her sister Venus, 37, back in 2002, when new mom Serena took the title. Click here for pics of the 2017 US Open.

For Sloane, it was such an incredible journey just to get to the final. She had a brutal three-set semi-final match against legendary Venus to secure her spot. “I’m super happy to be in a Grand Slam final. This is what every player dreams about,” she said after the semi’s match. She came in to the US Open as such an underdog after taking a year off the tour to recover from a foot injury. She returned for 2017’s Wimbledon in July, but only made it to the 64the round. After the tourney, she was ranked a dismal number 957 and became only the fourth unseeded player to make it to the women’s Open final. What a comeback!

HollywoodLifers, are you happy with Sloane’s big win? What did you think of the match?
In tennis, Sloane Stephens of the United States wins the women's singles final defeating fellow American Madison Keys 6–3, 6–0.