“Ace Queen” Karolina Pliskova overcomes dramatic first-set collapse to secure emotional Melbourne return
Karolina Pliskova beat Sloane Stephens 7-6 (7), 6-2 on Tuesday night. She’ll face Indonesian Janice Tjen in the next round
Karolina Pliskova at the 2023 Western and Southern Open (Zuma/Panoramic)
Czech star Karolina Pliskova made a triumphant return to the Grand Slam stage on Tuesday night, securing her place in the round of 64 with a 7-6 (7), 6-2 victory over American qualifier Sloane Stephens.
This opening-round win at the Australian Open was particularly significant as it marked Pliskova’s first appearance in a major tournament since 2024. The clash between two former major finalists lived up to expectations in its opening stages, though Pliskova eventually asserted the dominance that once took her to the world number one ranking.
The match began with a signature display of power from the Czech veteran, who raced to a commanding 5-1 lead in the first set. However, the path to victory was not linear, as Stephens clawed her way back into the set to force a tiebreak.
Karolina’s list of injuries
Pliskova eventually secured the opener in a narrow 9-7 breaker before finding her rhythm in the second set to close out the match with relative ease. Known for having one of the best serves the game has ever seen, Pliskova utilized her height and accuracy to neutralize the defensive variety of the 2017 US Open champion.
This victory is an emotional milestone for Pliskova, who has been sidelined by a relentless string of physical setbacks over the past several seasons. Her journey back to Melbourne has been defined by resilience after dealing with a right hand injury in 2021, a left wrist injury in 2023, and consecutive ankle surgeries in 2024 and 2025. For a player who has reached the finals of both the US Open and Wimbledon, as well as a semifinal here in Melbourne, the long road to recovery has been described as an awful period of forced absence from the game.
With Stephens defeated, the veteran now moves forward to face Indonesia’s Janice Tjen in the second round. Tjen reached the round of 64 following a major upset of her own on Tuesday, making for an intriguing intergenerational matchup. As Pliskova continues her campaign, she remains a player many fans have missed on tour, bringing a pedigree of elite competition and history-making performance back to the Australian Open courts.
