The Australian Open main draw has almost arrived, with many players having battled through qualifying to reach the big stage.
But others weren’t so lucky, with former US Open finalist Kei Nishikori withdrawing from Australian Open qualifying.
Several high-profile names had already confirmed their absence from the Grand Slam, with Jack Draper among the notable Australian Open absentees.
Former finalist Qinwen Zheng will miss the Australian Open too, but one player who will make an appearance in Melbourne is Sloane Stephens.
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Sloane Stephens qualifies for Australian Open
American ace Stephens, who is currently ranked 1,097th on the WTA Tour, has made it through qualifying to reach the Australian Open main draw.
Stephens defeated Barbora Palicova 6-1, 7-5 in her opening qualifying match, before battling past Olivia Gadecki 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
The 2017 US Open champion then overcame Lucia Bronzetti 6-1, 7-5 in her third and final qualifying match in Melbourne.
After beating compatriot Madison Keys for her maiden Grand Slam title, she lost the French Open final to Simona Halep the following year.
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Sloane Stephens faces daunting Australian Open first round match
Unfortunately for Stephens, she has been handed a very tricky test in her opening match at the Australian Open.
The American is set to take on Karolina Pliskova, who has reached two Grand Slam finals in her superb career.
The Czech ace fell short on both occasions; to Angelique Kerber at the 2016 US Open, and to Ashleigh Barty at Wimbledon in 2021.
But the 33-year-old boasts 17 titles on the WTA Tour, and hugely impressively managed to climb all the way to the top of the world rankings once upon a time.
Like Stephens, Pliskova has dropped out of the WTA top 1,000, but she still represents a formidable foe at such an early stage of the Australian Open.
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