Stephens,
who
won
at
Flushing
Meadows
in
2017,
was
beaten
5-7
6-2
6-3
in
the
third
round
on
Friday
by
three-time
major
champion
Kerber.
The
American
had
defeated
outstanding
teenager
Coco
Gauff
in
her
previous
match
but
could
not
maintain
a
title
challenge
in
New
York.
It
was
a
defeat
that
prompted
a
shocking
response
on
social
media,
Stephens
revealed
on
Saturday.
“I
am
human,”
she
wrote
on
her
Instagram
story.
“After
last
night’s
match
I
got
[more
than
2,000]
messages
of
abuse/anger
from
people
upset
by
yesterday’s
result.
“It’s
so
hard
to
read
messages
like
these,
but
I’ll
post
a
few
so
you
guys
can
see
what
it’s
like
after
a
loss…”
Stephens
then
shared
screenshots
of
a
series
of
threatening,
racist
and
misogynistic
messages
aimed
in
her
direction.
She
added:
“This
type
of
hate
is
so
exhausting
and
never
ending.
This
isn’t
talked
about
enough,
but
it
really
freaking
sucks…
“I’m
happy
to
have
people
in
my
corner
who
support
me.
I’m
choosing
positive
vibes
over
negative
ones.
“I
choose
to
show
you
guys
happiness
on
here,
but
it’s
not
always
smiles
and
roses.”
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