Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens charges into third round in Melbourne after beating Timea Babos

Timing is everything, and Sloane Stephens knows hers couldn’t be better. Facing the likes of Venus and Serena Williams is ‘something you probably want to tell your kids one day’.

Sloane Stephens was in great form at Melbourne Park on Wednesday.

Timing is everything, and Sloane Stephens knows hers couldn’t be better, declaring the current women’s game the best era to be a part of.

The American - who beat Timea Babos 6-3 6-1 in the second round on Wednesday at Melbourne Park - is one of eight different female players to win the last eight grand slams, having claimed the 2017 US Open.

She said she feels privileged to be a part of one of the most open periods in tennis history.

Sloane Stephens was in great form at Melbourne Park on Wednesday.

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“I think it’s cool. I’ve said before, I think this is like the best time to have played tennis,” Stephens said.

“I’ve played against Li Na, (Flavia) Pennetta, and (Roberta) Vinci and all these girls that, like, Petrova that I really admire. I feel like now I can say I played against (Naomi) Osaka, and (Belinda) Bencic and people like that … now is such a great time to be playing.”

And she said there is an element of feeling sorry for the next wave given what Stephens believes they will miss out on.

“For those young girls that are like 17 or 18 that will probably never get a chance to play against Venus or Serena (Williams), that sucks for them because they’re the greatest players of all time,” she said.

“It’s something you probably want to tell your kids one day. I think it’s a really great time to be playing.”

Sloane Stephens is looking to improve on a poor Australian Open record.

One player Stephens missed crossing paths with on court was four-time grand slam-winning Belgian Kim Clijsters – “a dream”.

Stephens has not progressed beyond the first round at Melbourne Park since 2014, having missed the 2017 event, and said bucking the trend had been a huge positive.

“I’m kind of conquering all the places where I have been terrible, so Asia … here,” she said.

“I think it’s good. I played well in the first round and now … so I’m happy.”