"When you cannot breathe you start to panic. I was really panicking, not because I couldn't convert my match point. That's not the case. I mean, I'm experienced enough to go over those emotions.

"But when you cannot breathe, when something's really blocking you, the stress, that was the stress I was talking about. I just couldn't realize what was going on with me."

Stephens refused to criticize Azarenka, with whom she shares an agent.

"We actually are pretty good friends. I'm sure I'll see her and we'll talk about it," Stephens said.

She will rise to a career-high 17th in the rankings after her best showing in a grand slam, while her popularity has also grown -- Stephens' following on her Twitter page has rocketed from 17,000 to more than 55,000.