The ATP and WTA rankings are more crucial than ever at this stage of the season with the French Open soon approaching.
Entry lists for the main draw of the clay court major have been released, with Nick Kyrgios now confirming his Roland Garros intentions.
One player who will definitely be competing in Paris is Jannik Sinner, who’s predicted to win Roland Garros after returning from his three month ban.
Numerous former Grand Slam champions will be looking to add to their major tallies at Roland Garros this year, while another will no longer be able to even get into qualifying.
Sloane Stephens falls to her lowest WTA ranking in eight years
Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens has fallen to world number 301 in the latest WTA rankings update, her lowest ranking since August 2017.
Stephens is currently recovering from a foot injury, and has now dropped the 249 points she gained from winning the title in Rouen last year.
It is not just an injury that has caused the 32-year-old’s downfall, as Stephens has lost 10 consecutive matches dating back to Wimbledon.
Many of these losses have been in straight sets, but one in particular was a heartbreaker for Stephens.
After winning the first nine games of her first round match at the US Open last year, Stephens was beaten by Clara Burel in shocking fashion.
| Tournament | Result |
| Wimbledon (2R) | Diana Shnaider beat Stephens, 6-1 6-1 |
| Washington Open (1R) | Amanda Anisimova beat Stephens, 6-3 7-5 |
| Canadian Open (1R) | Greet Minnen beat Stephens, 6-2 6-2 |
| US Open (1R) | Clara Burel beat Stephens, 0-6 7-5 7-5 |
| Guadalajara Open (1R) | Olivia Gadecki beat Stephens, 6-4 6-3 |
| Korea Open (1R) | Hailey Baptiste beat Stephens, 7-6(4) 6-2 |
| Auckland Open (1R) | Ann Li beat Stephens, 5-7 6-4 6-4 |
| Hobart International (1R) | Ann Li beat Stephens, 7-5 6-1 |
| Australian Open (1R) | Aryna Sabalenka beat Stephens, 6-3 6-2 |
| Merida Open (1R) | Petra Martic beat Stephens, 6-2 6-3 |
Not only is Stephens a former US Open champion, but she also reached the final of Roland Garros in 2018.
However, this year Stephens’ ranking will not even be good enough for her to gain entry into qualifying, even if she is fit enough to compete.
The last time that Stephens had a foot injury was when she suffered a major ranking drop in 2017, and later that year she won the US Open.
Could retirement be on the cards for Sloane Stephens?
Due to Stephens’ recent form and fitness, there have been a lot of questions over whether the former world number three could retire from the sport in the near future.
This topic was breached to Stephens during an exhibition event in the off-season last year, to which she admitted she did not know how much longer she will be playing.
“Tennis has a lot of ups and downs so I think it’s about how you manage your year,” Stephens told reporters in Charlotte.
“Obviously I realised I’m the oldest person here and very ancient, but I have enjoyed just travelling and being on tour and competing and I think that is the most important part for me.
“So to take that into 2025 will be important, I think for the longevity of my career, I don’t know how much longer I’m going to play so I’m just making sure I enjoy it and have a good time.”
During her time recovering from the aforementioned foot injury, Stephens has been seen doing some media work for the Tennis Channel.
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