Karolína Plíšková secured a hard-fought victory over Sloane Stephens in the first round of the Australian Open, marking her return after more than three months sidelined by ankle surgeries. The Czech player, who once contemplated retirement, emphasized her cautious approach to recovery, stating she is living day to day without plans beyond the tournament. She now faces Indonesia's Janice Tjen in the second round.
Karolína Plíšková returned to competitive tennis at the Australian Open, defeating American Sloane Stephens in a tense first-round match on Kia Arena. This win came after Plíšková underwent two surgeries on her left ankle, forcing her to skip the season-opening WTA events in Brisbane and Adelaide. It marked only the second time in five seasons that she has advanced beyond the opening round in Melbourne, a milestone tempered by her ongoing rehabilitation from a long-term absence that nearly led her to retire months earlier. The match unfolded with a grueling first set, where Plíšková edged out a 9-7 tiebreak victory after an arm wrestle. She then dominated the second set, securing three consecutive breaks of serve to lead 5-0 and clinch the overall win. Reflecting on the encounter, Plíšková noted the challenge posed by Stephens, against whom she holds a poor head-to-head record, particularly on hard courts. 'I just somehow don’t like her game,' she admitted. 'Today’s match was very fast and I think I played okay - not amazingly, just okay - and of course it was the first match after a long while so I wasn’t expecting anything great, but it was pretty solid.' Physically, Plíšková reported feeling stable, crediting gym work for her readiness: 'I’m alright. I’ve done a lot of work in the gym, so I think I’ll be fine.' The crowd's energy added to the occasion, with the arena packed despite it being an early round. 'It was great, especially considering it was only the first round... the atmosphere was fantastic,' she said, acknowledging support for both players. Looking ahead, Plíšková faces a debut matchup against Janice Tjen, who upset 22nd seed Leylah Fernandez in straight sets on Tuesday. Her recovery routine will involve more physio time, as she navigates the demands of aging in the sport: 'I’m not 20 anymore, and I need to look after my body. Particularly the leg which was operated on twice.' On future plans, she remains uncertain, relying on her protected ranking but prioritizing daily assessments: 'I still have no plans at the moment... I live from day to day now.' This victory positions her among several Czech players progressing in the women's singles draw, offering a tentative step toward rebuilding her form from the 2017-19 era.