Sloane Stephens knows her tennis story has never followed a straight line, and as the 2026 Australian Open unfolds, she is leaning into that reality more than ever. The former World No. 3 described the latest chapter of her career as “weirder and weirder.”
After fighting through injuries, time away from the tour, and a rare trip through qualifying, Stephens arrives in Melbourne with a refreshed perspective that prioritizes experience over expectation.
Sloane Stephens Leans Into Uncertainty as a New and Unfamiliar Chapter Opens in Melbourne
Speaking to tennis.com after securing her place in the main draw, Stephens reflected on the unpredictability of her career with humor and honesty. “In my career, I’ve had ups and downs that have been exciting, not exciting, anticlimactic, all the things,” she said with a smile. “That’s a part of life and a part of the journey.”
She added that the unfamiliar feeling of playing qualifying rounds stood out immediately. “I just told my coach earlier that this whole tennis journey keeps getting weirder and weirder,” she joked.
Stephens admitted she had to relearn the basics of qualifying schedules, saying, “It was weird to be in qualies and wonder how it even worked. I didn’t even know we played back-to-back from yesterday to today.”
Despite that, she leaned into simplicity. “There were so many things I didn’t know, but I was like, ‘I’m just gonna play.’ It’s strange, but it’s fun. A lot of times in my career, I haven’t been afraid to put myself out there, win or lose. Sometimes you get rewarded, and sometimes you don’t.”
What Did Time Away From the Court Teach Stephens About Life Beyond Competition?
Once a fixture deep into Grand Slam tournaments, Stephens reached the pinnacle of her career following her run to the 2018 French Open final, a stretch that propelled her as high as No. 3 in the world rankings.
In recent seasons, however, injuries and inconsistency have reshaped her journey. Now 32, Stephens has dealt with a lingering ankle problem that has limited her time on court, with her most recent singles win coming at Wimbledon in 2024. Rather than viewing this period as a setback alone, she has treated it as an opportunity to broaden her role in the sport she has spent her life in.
During her recovery from foot surgery, Stephens transitioned seamlessly into broadcasting, taking on analyst duties with Tennis Channel beginning in 2024 alongside respected voices such as Tracy Austin and Paul Annacone.
Her on-screen presence expanded in 2025 when she joined TNT Sports’ coverage of the French Open, sharing the desk with icons Venus Williams and Andre Agassi. Later that summer, she brought her insights to ESPN’s coverage of the US Open.
That broader perspective has shaped how she approaches her return. Following a second-round exit at Wimbledon in 2024, Stephens endured a 13-match losing streak, with a recurring right ankle issue forcing her to withdraw from several major events.
Her 2026 season began with a first-round loss to Renata Zarazua at the ASB Classic in Auckland, where she fell 5-7, 6-4, 2-6. Ranked No. 1097 at the time, Stephens entered the Australian Open not as a direct entry but as a qualifier.
She powered through the qualifying rounds, defeating Barbora Palicova, Olivia Gadecki, and Lucia Bronzetti to earn a spot in the main draw. Awaiting her is Karolína Plíšková, marking their eighth meeting on tour, with Stephens holding a commanding 6-1 edge in their head-to-head rivalry.
