WTA roundup: Sloane Stephens rallies in France

Mar 20, 2024; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Sloane Stephens (USA) (L) salutes the crowd after her match against Angelique Kerber (GER) (R) after their match on day three of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo

No. 6 seed Sloane Stephens bounced back from a rough opening set to defeat Peyton Stearns 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 in an all-American first-round matchup at the Open Capfinances Rouen Metropole on Monday in Rouen, France.

Stearns’ serve dominated the opening set, as she won 18 of her 24 total service points and broke Stephens twice. Stephens used a 3-0 start to the second set to get back in the match before fending off Stearns late in the third. Stephens converted 6 of 11 break-point opportunities in all.

Stephens’ next opponent will be Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic, who also needed three sets Monday to defeat Russia’s Polina Kudermetova 7-5, 1-6, 7-5. No. 5 seed Maria Andreeva of Russia and Magda Linette of Poland won their opening matches in straight sets.

Porsche Tennis Grand Prix

Veronika Kudermetova of Russia rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the third set to defeat Czech opponent Barbora Krejcikova 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 in opening-round action in Stuttgart, Germany.

Kudermetova saved 9 of 13 break points, hit four aces and capitalized on five double faults by her opponent, including three in the third set. After losing a 5-3 lead in the first set, Kudermetova turned the tables on Krejcikova down the stretch with her five-game rally to wrap up the three-hour, six-minute match.

Sachia Vickery defeated Belarus’ Aliaksandra Sasnovich 7-6 (2), 7-5 and will face No. 3 seed Coco Gauff in the next round. Spaniard Paula Badosa bested Russia’s Diana Shnaider 6-3, 6-4 and will take on No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the Round of 16.

–Field Level Media