Halep and Stephens embracing their burgeoning rivalry

Drawn to each other

Of course, when we talk of rivalry in tennis, we need to start at the top. Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova met 80 times in their careers, 60 of them in finals. Halep and Stephens have played eight times, with the Romanian winning six of them, including the biggest one, on Court Philippe Chatrier in June.

In fact, Halep has won the past six of their clashes, with Stephens’ last win coming at the Australian Open in 2013. And yet, the pair seem to be drawn to each other at the moment, with a really tight three-setter again going the world No 1’s way in the Montreal final earlier this month.

And with Stephens defending her title at Flushing Meadows, what chances there will be another meeting between the two. The pair are drawn in the same half in New York, though there are plenty of obstacles before then, for both players. Halep could face Serena or Venus Williams, while Victoria Azarenka and Elina Svitolina could block Stephens’ path.

The great thing about rivalries is that they tend to bring the best out in the two players concerned. If they are not quite opposites in terms of game style, the court coverage of both, and shot-making prowess they can call on, makes for some stunning rallies, incredible exchanges.

A complex player

Halep, who goes into the US Open as the world No 1, and with the grand slam monkey off her back after her French Open victory, knows that Stephens is a true rival. "Both matches (Canada and Roland-Garros) were crazy good” Halep said after her win in Canada. “She makes me play better and better every time we meet each other. That's a great thing for me.

“I feel like she has improved in her mental side also. She doesn't give up that much now. Of course, she's a strong player. I think she's a complex, if you say in English, complex player. She has everything.”

Pressure and magazine covers

What Stephens may also have, and what Halep may no longer feel after her Paris heroics, is pressure. The 25-year-old American knows expectations will be high and is growing to learn that her time is no longer her own, so many demands are there for interviews, photo ops, magazine covers. It’s something she struggles with but with the New York crowd behind her, she will believe she can repeat her triumph of 12 months ago.

“I thought I played really well in Montreal,” Stephens said on the eve of the US Open. “I thought I played a good final there. I feel like the summer is kind of short, that was obviously the highlight, making the finals there, and playing good tennis the whole week, staying pretty consistent. Obviously losing to the No. 1 player in the world is not too bad. Eventually I'm going to get her, and hopefully it will be soon.”

“I just want to get ready for that match"

Neither woman, though, will be taking anything for granted. Stephens plays Evgeniya Rodina in round one while Halep takes on the big-hitting Kaia Kanepi, the Estonian with a reputation for producing big upsets in the grand slams. 

“It's a very tough, very tough draw for sure,” said Halep, who was upset in round one last year by Maria Sharapova, who was a wildcard on her return after missing the 2016 event due to her 15-month doping ban. “It's going to be a big challenge. Last year I lost in the first round, so it cannot be worse than that. I feel confident. I feel that I have the game to win against her, but she's very dangerous. I just want to get ready for that match and put everything I have into that.”

Serena, Venus, Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki, Wimbledon winner Angelique Kerber, Petra Kvitova, Garbine Muguruza, Karolina Pliskova, Jelena Ostapenko, Caroline Garcia and Cincinnati champion Kiki Bertens will all have other ideas. But Halep is the woman to beat and Stephens is the defending champion. A rivalry begins.