Stephens slumps to 0-4 in 2021 after Monterrey Open exit

Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens has continued her torrid start to 2021 after crashing out in the first round of the Monterrey Open on Tuesday.

Stephens went into the Mexico event as top seed but lost to Slovakian world number 151 Kristina Kucova 6-2 6-2.

The 27-year-old American is now 0-4 to start the 2021 WTA Tour season and has won only one set all season.

Stephens, now ranked 48th in the world, only managed to win 32.4 per cent of points on her first serve, with Kucova converting seven of 14 break points in the match.

Day Two from Monterrey Ranked #151, Kristina Kucova of Slovakia upsets No.1 seed Sloane Stephens, 6-2, 6-2.Still to come, Sorribes Tormo, Podoroska and Bouchard.@Abierto_GNP | #AbiertoGNPSeguros2021 pic.twitter.com/vKLW5JfYQJ
— wta (@WTA) March 16, 2021

Second seed Nadia Podoroska was also a first-round casualty on Tuesday, going down 6-4 6-4 to Russian qualifier Anna Kalinskaya.

In the late match, Eugenie Bouchard went down to China's Lin Zhu 7-5 7-6 (6-3).