Sloane Stephens opened the 2026 US Open with a 6-4, 6-1 first-round win over Clara Tauson on Sunday. The straight-sets WTA rankings upset marked her first Grand Slam match win in two years.
Behind Sloane Stephens's Rise Through the WTA Rankings
Stephens, currently No. 209 in the WTA rankings, entered Flushing Meadows on a wild card after missing last year's tournament with a right foot stress fracture. But her recent form suggested a Queens comeback could happen.
She qualified for both the Australian Open and Roland Garros earlier this season. Then, she reached the third round in Cincinnati, where she recorded her first Top 30 win since 2024.
A Dominant 2026 US Open Debut Against Clara Tauson
That momentum followed her into New York. Against Tauson, ranked world No. 38, Stephens controlled play from the start before pulling away in the second set.
"My goals are evolving, and as my ranking goes up," Stephens said after the match. "I get more wins and more confidence, it feels a little different."
Beyond the scoreline, the day held personal meaning. Members of the Sloane Stephens Foundation traveled from Compton to watch the match, with some boarding flights for the first time.
"I think I'm playing for so much more now," Stephens said. "It gives me motivation."
Nine years after lifting the trophy here as an unseeded 24-year-old, she is winning at Flushing Meadows again.
