Sloane Stephens stunned after upsetting Serena Williams

Sloane Stephens of the United States is interviewed after winning her Quarterfinal match against Serena Williams of the United States of America during day ten of the 2013 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 23, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia. / Photo by Julian Finney-Pool/Getty Images

MELBOURNE, Australia Fresh off her upset of Serena Williams in the Australian Open, American Sloane Stephens was in a state of shock. The magnitude of the 19-year-old's accomplishment only hit her while she was warming down after the match.

"I was stretching, and I was like, `I'm in the semis of a Grand Slam.' I was like, `Whoa. It wasn't as hard as I thought,"' she said. "To be in the semis of a Grand Slam is definitely a good accomplishment. A lot of hard work."

Stephens outplayed Williams, whose movement and serves had been slowed by a back injury, and beat the 15-time Grand Slam champion 3-6, 7-5, 6-4. It was Williams' first loss since Aug. 17, and her first defeat at a Grand Slam tournament since last year's French Open.

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The No. 29-seeded Stephens hadn't been given much of a chance of beating Williams, who lost only four matches in 2012 and was in contention to regain the No. 1 ranking at the age of 31.

Williams' latest winning streak included a straight-set win over Stephens at the Brisbane International this month.

Sloane Stephens (left) shakes hands after victory in her women's singles match against compatriot Serena Williams.

/ PAUL CROCK/AFP/Getty Images

Stephens wasn't even sure that she could beat Williams until she woke up Wednesday.

"When I got up, I was like, `Look, Dude, like, you can do this.' Like, `Go out and play and do your best," she said.

Williams walked around the net to congratulate Stephens, who then clapped her hand on her racket and waved to the crowd, a look of disbelief on her face.

Stephens has said she had a photo of Williams in her room when she was a child, and had long admired the Williams sisters.

"This is so crazy. Oh my goodness," Stephens said, wiping away tears in her post-match TV interview. "I think I'll put a poster of myself (up) now."

[ssporleder]

The Williams sisters need to let others get their moment, but actually beating one of them is sweet.

[TheSeeker2012]

At one point, I quite admired Serena. Now, after watching her atrocious, numerous displays which demonstrate her complete lack of any type of "true sportsmanship," (more like some temper tantrum little child!) I honestly can't wait until this petulant little girl hangs up her racket for good. She really makes Americans in competition look B-A-D!

[sickofbull]

Well. While this is a reason to celebrate I would suggest to the young victor that she may want to wait to put her own picture on the wall until she has racked up the victories that Serena has.