Former US Open champion wins just one game in qualifying for WTA 125 tournament in heavy defeat

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Sloane Stephens was thrashed in her latest match at the WTA 125 tournament in Austin.

Stephens, who won the US Open title in 2017, is looking to make her way back up the rankings after a seven month break due to a foot injury last year.

The former world number three made a positive start to the 2026 season, with Stephens ending her 13-match losing streak before qualifying for the Australian Open.

She had not won another match since then, and after Stephens lost in the first round of Indian Wells she decided to play in qualifying at a lower-level WTA 125 tournament in Austin.

Sloane Stephens thrashed in qualifying at WTA 125 event in Austin

Due to her poor form and fitness last year, Stephens is currently ranked as the world number 780 and was only able to get into qualifying at the WTA 125 event in Austin after receiving a wildcard.

Stephens would play world number 86 Anastasia Zakharova in her qualifying match, which lasted just 51 minutes.

In this match, Zakharova would beat Stephens 6-0, 6-1, to book her place in the main draw at the Austin Challenger.

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This is the heaviest defeat of Stephens’ career since 2023, where she lost 6-0, 6-0 to Camila Giorgi at the Merida Open.

Stephens has lost 23 of her last 28 matches, and there are now doubts about what is in store for the future of the 32-year-old.

What is next for Sloane Stephens?

Stephens does not have any tournaments on her schedule going forward, but she is likely to remain in the States for the time being.

The wildcards for the upcoming Miami Open are yet to be announced, but Stephens will surely be hopeful of receiving one.

Stephens won her sole WTA 1000 title at the Miami Open in 2018, and is therefore in contention for one of the eight available wildcards.

After the Miami Open, Stephens will likely then turn her attention to clay, where she has found success before as a former French Open finalist.

Stephens won her eighth and most recent WTA title on the clay of Rouen, and will be hoping the switch of surface enables her to start climbing back up the rankings.