Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens ends 5-year victory drought at the Australian Open
Sloane Stephens is into the second round of the Australian Open for the first time since 2019 after she beat wild-card entry Olivia Gadecki 6-3, 6-1
By AP News
Published - Jan 15, 2024, 09:05 PM ET
Last Updated - Jan 15, 2024, 09:05 PM EST
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Sloane Stephens picked up her first win at the Australian Open since 2019 when she beat wild-card entry Olivia Gadecki 6-3, 6-1 on Tuesday to reach the second round.
The 30-year-old American, who won the U.S. Open in 2017, won five straight games from 2-0 down in the opening set and eased through the second to clinch victory in just under an hour.
“Really pleased with the way I played,” said Stephens, who reached the semifinals of the event in 2013 but who has lost in the first round in seven of her past eight visits to Melbourne.
“I’ve been working a lot on making the opponents play. I think that’s something I had got away from. Pleased with the win.”
