Ostapenko tops Stephens; Ahn advances in qualies

Jelena Ostapenko, shown in 2016, topped Sloane Stephens
1-6, 6-0, 6-3 today in the second round in Eastbourne. Both
are Grand Slam champions. Photo by Paul Bauman

   In a matchup of Grand Slam champions, unseeded Jelena Ostapenko ousted seventh-seeded Sloane Stephens 1-6, 6-0, 6-3 today in the second round of the Nature Valley International in Eastbourne, England.
   Stephens, a 26-year-old Fresno product, was playing her first match of the grass-court season after reaching the French Open quarterfinals. The 2017 U.S. Open champion and 2018 French Open runner-up received a first-round bye in Eastbourne.
   Stephens reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2013 but has not advanced past the third round in six other appearances there. She has lost in the first round in each of the past two years at the All England Club. This year's tournament begins Monday.
   Ostapenko, 22, advanced to the quarterfinals of last week's Nature Valley Classic in Birmingham, England, upending French Open semifinalist Johanna Konta of Great Britain in the second round.
   Ostapenko won the 2017 French Open two days after turning 20 and last year became the first Latvian woman to reach the Wimbledon semifinals. She is entered in the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic, July 29-Aug. 4 at San Jose State.
   Wimbledon qualifying -- Kristie Ahn, a 27-year-old Stanford graduate, defeated British wild card Naomi Broady 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4) in the first round of Wimbledon qualifying at Roehampton in London.
   At 5-foot-5 (1.65 meters), Ahn is nine inches (22.9 centimeters) shorter than the 6-foot-2 (1.88-meter) Broady.
   Ahn is scheduled to play 32nd-seeded Tamara Korpatsch of Germany for the first time on Wednesday. Korpatsch, 24, outlasted Robin Anderson, like Ahn a diminutive New Jersey native, 6-3, 6-7 (0), 6-4.
  Both Korpatsch and Ahn -- ranked No. 145 and No. 191, respectively -- seek their first berth in the main draw at Wimbledon.