Sloane Stephens will play the 2026 Australian Open as she won all three qualifiers, dropping just one set on her way to the main draw.
Ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year, the 32-year-old American participated in the ASB Classic but lost in the opening round to Mexico’s Renata Zarazua.
Despite the early setback to her Australian swing, the 2017 US Open winner didn’t lose hope and put up a strong performance during the Australian Open qualifiers and ultimately stormed her way into the main draw. She will begin her campaign on Sunday, January 18.
Stephens recently shared an image of a cute locker room surprise on her Instagram story, courtesy of Tennis Australia.
The image showcased a congratulatory card from Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley on her qualification into the main draw, some merchandise, a closed box, and a small message scroll indicating she could proceed to collect her dining voucher.
“Opened my locker to the cutest surprise today! Thank you @australianopen + @craig_tiley,” wrote Stephens.
Sloane Stephens Expressed Her Happiness on Entering the Main Draw of the Australian Open 2026
Stephens’ final qualifier match was against Lucia Bronzetti, who was ranked second in the qualifiers’ draw. It was an impressive result for the unseeded American, who managed to win the tie in straight sets, thereby taking her winning streak to three matches, which was the first time she had achieved the feat since 2024.
After qualifying for the main draw, the former World No. 3 spoke to Flashscore’s Aaron Murphy in an exclusive interview.
“I mean, she’s [Bronzetti] a very good player, and I’ve played her before. Closing it out was tough, but I’m just really happy to get the win in the end. I played good tennis the whole match, so I’m really happy with it,” said Stephens.
Next, she expressed her excitement on entering the main draw, saying that this Australian Open stint can be a stepping stone to bring her back on track on the WTA tour.
“It’s always nice to do well enough to make the second week. In general, I’m just happy to be playing again and be healthy. It was a big task to come here and play in qualifying as a former Grand Slam champion. A lot of pressure and stress, but I think, in general, I’m happy with that. It’s another stepping stone to getting better and getting back on track and getting my ranking back,” she added.
Stephens is set to face Karolina Pliskova in the first round of the Australian Open on Sunday.
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