Former Roland Garros finalist Sloane Stephens clinched her spot in the 2026 French Open main draw on Thursday. The US tennis star rallied from a set down to defeat Spain’s Leyre Romero Gormaz 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 in the Grand Slam's final qualifying round.
After ousting Carol Young Suh Lee and Lisa Pigato in straight sets during her opening matches, Stephens had a sluggish start against Gormaz. She dropped her serve twice, eventually losing the opening set.
But the 2018 French Open runner-up launched a swift response in the second. She broke her Spanish opponent in the second and eighth games to force a decider. From there, Stephens broke the world No. 159 two more times to complete the comeback win.
Sloane Stephens Returns to Roland Garros via Protected Ranking
Stephens entered the 2026 French Open qualifiers via protected entry following a 2025 foot injury that dropped her to No. 361 in the WTA rankings. She spent a year nursing a foot fracture, mounting qualifying campaigns in Madrid and at the Australian Open.
This marked her first time competing in the qualifying bracket at Roland Garros, after making 13 main draw appearances between 2011 and 2024.
The win against Gormaz provides a massive boost for former US Open champion as clay continues to be a successful surface for her. She sports 35 career main-draw match wins in Paris, eyeing more as the tournament gets underway this weekend.
