FILE - In this Aug. 27, 2018, file photo, Simona Halep, of Romania, serves to Kaia Kanepi, of Estonia, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, in New York. No. 1-ranked Halep returns to competitive tennis this week at the Sydney International unsure if her back injury has fully healed.(AP Photo/Andres Kudacki, File)
FILE - In this Aug. 27, 2018, file photo, Simona Halep, of Romania, serves to Kaia Kanepi, of Estonia, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, in New York. No. 1-ranked Halep returns to competitive tennis this week at the Sydney International unsure if her back injury has fully healed.(AP Photo/Andres Kudacki, File).(AP Photo/Andres Kudacki, File)
Tennis

Tennis: Women’s Picks at ATP Sydney include 5-seed Sloane Stephens

Matches are Monday and Tuesday
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ATP Sydney International - Round of 32

Angelique KERBER (GER) 2 over Camila GIORGI (ITA) 27
If Kerber could slide her slice serve to the ad court off the side, she’d be a factor in every tournament she enters. Even so, the second seed is too strong for Giorgi.

Jelena OSTAPENKO (LAT) 22 over Ashleigh BARTY (AUS) 15
Although the hometown fans will be pulling hard for Barty, who was a finalist last year, she’ll fall just short to Ostapenko, who is playing well. But this will be a tight one.

Sloane STEPHENS 5 (USA) over Ekaterina ALEXANDROVA (RUS) 72
Stephens is still inconsistent, but by now she’s a veteran. The Plantation, FL native has won over $13,000,000 in her career and she should just run over this Russian Qualifier.

Anett KONTAVEIT (EST) 20 over Monica PUIG (PR) 53
I’d love to see Puerto Rico’s Monica Puig return to the form that won her a Gold Medal in the last Olympics, but she hasn’t. She’s only in the draw as a Lucky Loser, and although she’s never lost to Kontaveit (2-0) I don’t see her making a run here and now.

Tennis
Sydney
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Women's
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