In an exhilarating all-American first-round matchup at the Open Capfinances Rouen Metropole, No. 6 seed Sloane Stephens showcased her resilience as she staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Peyton Stearns with a scoreline of 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 on Monday in Rouen, France.
Stearns asserted her dominance early on, with her serve dictating play and securing her control over the opening set. Winning an impressive 18 out of her 24 total service points and breaking Stephens twice, Stearns displayed her prowess on the court. However, Stephens refused to falter and quickly regained her composure, storming to a 3-0 lead in the second set to turn the tide of the match.
The momentum shifted in Stephens’ favor as she capitalized on her opponent’s errors and seized control of the match. With tenacity and determination, Stephens fought off Stearns late in the third set to secure a hard-fought victory. Converting 6 out of 11 break-point opportunities, Stephens demonstrated her ability to rise to the occasion under pressure.
Looking ahead, Stephens is set to face off against Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in what promises to be another thrilling encounter. Pliskova, who also endured a three-set battle on Monday, emerged victorious against Russia’s Polina Kudermetova with a scoreline of 7-5, 1-6, 7-5.
In other matches at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany, Veronika Kudermetova of Russia staged a remarkable comeback from a 4-1 deficit in the third set to defeat Czech opponent Barbora Krejcikova with a score of 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. Meanwhile, Sachia Vickery secured a hard-fought victory over Belarus’ Aliaksandra Sasnovich and is set to face No. 3 seed Coco Gauff in the next round. Additionally, Spaniard Paula Badosa emerged victorious against Russia’s Diana Shnaider and is poised to take on No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the Round of 16.
