Sloane slays Serena

Sloane Stephens of USA (R) shakes hands with Serena Williams after defeating her more illustrious compatriot in the Australian Open quarterfinal in Melbourne on Wednesday. PHOTO: REUTERS

American teenager Sloane Stephens sent the Australian Open women's draw into disarray Wednesday when she dumped injury-hit hot favourite Serena Williams out of the quarterfinals.
Stephens, only 19 and without a tournament victory, held her nerve in almost unbearable tension at Rod Laver Arena to close out a 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 win after Williams needed treatment for back spasms.
Stephens, 19, regarded as Williams' successor as the force of women's tennis in the United States, now goes into a semifinal against world number one and defending champion Victoria Azarenka, who beat Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Williams, 31, had not been beaten since August and picked up titles at Wimbledon, the Olympics and the US Open last year, but she now sees her bid for a calendar-year Grand Slam falter at the first hurdle.
She also falls one short match of equalling her best-ever winning streak of 21 matches, and is denied the chance to become the oldest world number one since computer rankings were first devised in 1975.
But she said she was "almost relieved" her tournament was over after rolling her ankle just minutes into her first match in Melbourne, a problem which she believes had the knock-on effect of straining her back.
Williams won the first set but at 3-4 in the second, she pulled up with back spasms and later called for the trainer. As she served at half-pace, Stephens was eventually able to capitalise as she levelled at a set each.
Williams recovered sufficiently to break in the tense decider but Stephens broke back and then broke again to claim the victory of her life.
In Thursday's semifinals Stephens will face top seed Azarenka, who came through a marathon, 1hr 17min opening set against resurgent Russian veteran Kuznetsova before completing her 7-5, 6-1 triumph in 1hr 47min.