Sloane Stephens defeated fellow American Carol Young Suh Lee 6-3, 6-2 on Monday in the first round of French Open qualifying at Roland Garros. The 33-year-old, ranked No. 362, is competing under a protected ranking after recovering from a right-foot stress fracture.
Stephens described her return to Grand Slam competition as a fresh and unusual challenge. She noted that playing qualifying rounds feels different from her previous experiences at the top level. “It just feels different this time, but it’s fun. Playing on a protected ranking, playing qualies of Slams—just a different challenge,” she said after the match on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.
