'Doing it the hard way': Stephens seals first main-draw win of latest comeback

Eight years ago, Sloane Stephens was leaving the Miami Open as champion after defeating Jelena Ostapenko in the final. On Thursday night, the eve of her 32nd birthday, the American recorded another notable victory in the Magic City. 

Stephens' 6-4, 6-2 win over fellow American and good friend Jennifer Brady marked her first WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz main-draw match win in nearly two years, since Wimbledon two summers ago. 

Both players entered this year's tournament in Miami seeking their first WTA-level win after lengthy injury layoffs: Stephens missed much of 2025 with a stress fracture in her right foot, while 2021 Australian Open finalist Brady's loss to Antonia Ruzic in Indian Wells two weeks ago was her first tour-level match since the 2023 China Open due to a serious knee injury. Ranked No. 717 and No. 744 respectively this week, the two made history as the first-ever match between two players ranked outside the Top 500 at WTA 1000 level since the introduction of the format in 2009.

Stephens saw the lighter side of being a part of that record in the aftermath of her 1 hour and 25-minute win.

"When I walked into the gym [afterwards], my coach was like, 'OK, we're Mover of the Week!' We're in the 500s now!" she quipped. "...I started at No. 1,000, now I'm at No. 500 so I'm working my way up, and I think that's very positive. In tennis, you have to take the positives when you can."

Similarly, Stephens might take heart in the fact that she's successfully navigated a comeback with aplomb once before. Nine years ago, she was famously ranked No. 957 after another foot injury when she reached back-to-back semifinals in Canada and Cincinnati as a wild card -- and then took home the big prize at Flushing Meadows. 

This time around, Stephens said she's ready to "do it the hard way" by dropping down to play qualifying -- like she did at the Australian Open, where she scored three wins to reach the main draw -- and lower-profile events, like last week's WTA 125 in Austin. Stephens showed glimpses of her best form against Brady in their first-ever meeting as professionals. She saved all six break points she faced, landed 72% of her first serves, and broke Brady three times as the former World No. 13 made 40 unforced errors in defeat.

"I have so much respect for her as a player," Stephens said. "She's had so many amazing results as we've grown up on the tour -- I can't believe we've never played against each other, that's kind of weird -- but we've practiced with each other enough and know each other's games well.

"We're both coming back from injury and it's always tough ... I love Jenny and I know she'll do great in her comeback also. It was a tough day today, but I'm happy to be through."

The former World No. 3 will face 2024 Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, the No. 23 seed, in the second round.