On Wednesday, the 2023 WTA Merida Open's first round will pit second-seeded Sloane Stephens against French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean.
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Leolia Jeanjean qualified for the Merida main draw with a pair of three-set victories. Despite being the higher-ranked player in each round, Jeanjean has had to dig deep in Mexico. She defeated Despina Papamichail first, overcoming a brief hiccup in the second set before dominating in the third. And on Sunday, she came back from a set down to defeat Russia’s outstanding Erika Andreeva, 5-7 6-4 6-4. It will be his second tournament of the year, having entered the Australian Open as a fortunate loser last month. So far in her Tour career, the Frenchwoman has three wins from ten main draw matches. Yet, with Stephens still an unknown quantity and a history of being caught off guard in her first match back, we can’t rule out an upset.
Sloane Stephens is 0-3 in 2023, having lost first-round matches in Auckland, Hobart, and the Australian Open. Worryingly for the American, she failed to win a single set in those defeats. It pales in comparison to her end-of-season success in Guadalajara, where she reached a rare quarterfinal at the WTA 1000 level. The former US Open champion hasn’t played since losing in the first round to Anastasia Potapova in Melbourne, skipping up the chance to rack up crucial points during the European indoor season or the Middle East swing. Sloane Stephens, on the other hand, will compete in the newly inaugurated Merida Open, where she is the second seed. But that doesn’t mean she’ll have an easy time in Mexico. She has historically struggled even in events with smaller fields, and if she does not find her range early on, she could fall victim to French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean.
| Sloane Stephens vs Leolia Jeanjean | Match details |
|---|---|
| Date | February 22, 2023 |
| Surface | Hard |
| Tournament | Merida Open |
| Stage | First round |
| Time (India) | 04:00 am |
| Opponent | Score |
|---|---|
| Anastasia Popatova | 6-7, 4-6 (L) |
| Lauren Davis | 2-6, 2-6 (L) |
| Rebeka Masarova | 3-6, 6-7 (L) |
| Jessica Pegula | 2-6, 2-6 (L) |
| Carolina Garcia | 7-6, 7-5 (W) |
| Opponent | Score |
|---|---|
| Erika Andreeva | 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 (W) |
| Despina | 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 (W) |
| Nadia Podorska | 0-6, 3-6 (L) |
| Lesia Tsurenko | 4-6, 2-6 (L) |
| Kayla Day | 7-6, 1-6, 6-1 (W) |
Sloane Stephens and Leolia Jeanjean will clash for the first time in their careers. Jeanjean has a history of defying the odds. Yet, Stephens is a clear frontrunner because of her passion for Mexico. She has two career victories in this region of the world, so we anticipate she will take off quickly.
Sloane Stephens and Leolia Jeanjean will take on each other in the first round of the 2023 ATP Merida Open on February 22.
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