Sloane Stephens loses early at Pan Pacific Open

The Associated Press• ·
TACHIKAWA, JAPAN - SEPTEMBER 18: Sloane Stephens of United States plays a backhand against Donna Vekic of Croatia during their Women's singles first round match on day two of the Toray Pan Pacific Open at Arena Tachikawa Tachihi on September 18, 2018 in Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan.
Takashi Aoyama / Getty Images Sport / Getty

TOKYO (AP) Fifth-seeded Sloane Stephens was eliminated from the first round of the Pan Pacific Open by Donna Vekic 6-4, 6-4 Tuesday.

The 2017 U.S. Open champion also lost to the unseeded Croat in the first round at Wimbledon.

Also, seventh-seeded Ashleigh Barty reached the second round by beating CoCo Vandeweghe 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, while No. 8 Barbora Strycova defeated Zarina Diyas 6-4, 6-4.

In other matches, Johanna Konta defeated Gabriela Dabrowski 6-2, 6-0, and Alison Riske beat Eugenie Bouchard 6-4, 6-4.

Caroline Wozniacki is the top-seeded player at the tournament and Caroline Garcia is No. 2. Both had byes in the first round.

Third-seeded Naomi Osaka, who won the U.S. Open just over a week ago, also had a bye and plays Wednesday against Dominika Cibulkova.

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