Sloane Stephens of the United States celebrates her victory over Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia during quarterfinals play at the Rogers Cup tennis tournament Friday, Aug. 10, 2018 in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)
The Associated Press
MONTREAL (AP) - U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens romped into the Rogers Cup semifinals Friday, beating Anastasija Sevastova 6-2, 6-2.
The 25-year-old Stephens, ranked No. 3 in the world, won a hard-court title in Miami in March and lost the French Open final to top-ranked Simona Halep. In the semifinals, the American will face fifth-seeded defending champion Elina Svitolina.
Svitolina beat 14th-seeded Elise Mertens 7-5, 6-3 in the late match.
The top-seeded Halep advanced with a 7-5, 6-1 victory over sixth-seeded Caroline Garcia. Halep will face 15th-seeded Ashleigh Barty, a 6-3, 6-1 winner over Kiki Bertens.
Preparing for the U.S. Open, Stephens also reached the event semifinals last year in Toronto.
"When you're playing good matches in big tournaments like this, I don't think it's peaking too soon. It's just getting confidence and playing good tennis," Stephens said. "Leading up to the U.S. Open, obviously last year it worked pretty well."
Sloane Stephens of the United States returns to Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia during quarterfinals play at the Rogers Cup tennis tournament Friday, Aug. 10, 2018 in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Sloane Stephens of the United States celebrates her victory over Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia during quarterfinals play at the Rogers Cup tennis tournament Friday, Aug. 10, 2018 in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)
The Associated Press
Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia reacts as she faces Sloane Stephens of the United States during quarterfinals play at the Rogers Cup tennis tournament Friday, Aug. 10, 2018 in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Sloane Stephens of the United States serves to Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia during quarterfinals play at the Rogers Cup tennis tournament Friday, Aug. 10, 2018 in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Sloane Stephens of the United States returns to Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia during quarterfinals play at the Rogers Cup tennis tournament Friday, Aug. 10, 2018 in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Ashleigh Barty of Australia tosses the ball to serve to Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands during quarter-finals play at the Rogers Cup tennis tournament Friday, Aug. 10, 2018 in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands returns to Ashleigh Barty of Australia during quarter-finals play at the Rogers Cup tennis tournament Friday, Aug. 10, 2018 in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Simona Halep, of Romania, celebrates a point over Caroline Garcia, of France, during women's quarterfinal play at the Rogers Cup tennis tournament in Montreal on Friday, Aug. 10, 2018. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Simona Halep, of Romania, watches the ball as she returns to Caroline Garcia, of France, during women's quarterfinal play at the Rogers Cup tennis tournament in Montreal on Friday, Aug. 10, 2018. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, reaches for a shot from Elise Mertens, of Belgium, during the Rogers Cup womenâs tennis tournament in Montreal, Friday, Aug. 10, 2018. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP
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