After a year marked by setbacks and recovery, Sloane Stephens has scripted a determined comeback at the Australian Open, earning her place in the main draw through qualifying on Thursday.
The former US Open champion defeated Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti in straight sets, 6-1, 7-5, showing composure and control as she continues her return from a foot injury that sidelined her for most of the previous season.
Stephens, now 32, has been absent from competitive tennis for large stretches of the past year, playing no matches between February and September. Once ranked world No. 3, the American last featured at a Grand Slam in Melbourne in 2025, where she was knocked out by top seed Aryna Sabalenka before her injury forced an extended break.
Navigating the qualifying rounds was an unfamiliar challenge for the 2017 US Open winner and 2018 French Open finalist, adding another layer of pressure to her comeback. “The final round of qualifying is never easy, especially when you haven’t been in that position for a long time,” Stephens said. “It was a bit stressful, but I’m really happy to get through.”
She also acknowledged the unique circumstances of her presence in the qualifiers. “I think I was the only Grand Slam champion there, which made it interesting. But I treated it as an opportunity to compete and figure things out.”
Meanwhile, Turkey’s rising tennis talent Zeynep Sonmez also secured her place in the main draw, defeating Anastasia Gasanova 6-3, 6-2. The 23-year-old continues to build on her breakthrough year, having made history at Wimbledon by becoming the first Turkish player in the Open era to reach the third round of a Grand Slam.
“Grand Slams feel even more special after Wimbledon,” Sonmez said. “I love playing in Australia, and I’m really happy to qualify. I’m excited for my first match in the main draw.”
With established champions returning and new names emerging, the Australian Open qualifiers once again offered a glimpse of resilience ahead of the season’s first major.
