Varvara Lepchenko defeated Clervie Ngounoue 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 in the Citi Open qualifiers on July 25. The 40-year-old secured her spot in the next round against Polina Kudermetova.
The match took place at Stadium Court during the WTA 500 event in Washington, D.C. Lepchenko, currently ranked No. 175, won 74 percent of her first-serve points and converted five of eight break-point opportunities.
Ngounoue, a 20-year-old American, had advanced from the Newport Challenger but could not overcome the veteran. Lepchenko reached the second round of qualifiers after the straight-sets victory.
The result places Lepchenko among the oldest WTA players to win a tour-level match in recent years, following Venus Williams and Martina Navratilova. She had shown improved form earlier in 2026 with quarterfinal and third-round appearances at other events.
