Sloane Stephens suffered a collapse of epic proportions and was eliminated from the US Open.
The struggling American won the first nine games and served for the match in both the second and third sets, but eventually lost to Clara Burrel.
The Frenchman recorded a stunning 0-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory to knock Stephens out of Flushing Meadows.
This marks Stevens’ third consecutive tournament loss in the first round, after losses in Washington and Toronto.
Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champion, dominated the first set and appeared to be in complete control under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
But after leading 6-0, 3-0, her form went awry, as Stephens lost seven of the next nine sets and eventually had to play a third set.
After both players took a break before the third set, Stephens held serve and then broke to take a 2-0 lead.
But in a set that featured six breaks, Burrel broke back to tie the score at 2-2.
Stephens broke to win the match at 5-4, but was broken again and Burrel tied it at 5-5.
Stephens lost the final two games before a devastating double fault in the deciding game meant she was eliminated.
“I was a little nervous at the beginning, Sloane Stephens was giving me a hard time,” Burell said in an on-court television interview. “I just kept fighting.
“I think the turning point was trying to be more aggressive. I started scoring more points… and it started paying off.”
