Though much has been said about women’s professional tennis becoming younger and younger, the veteran Americans, Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, and Sloane Stephens, aged 28 to 30, earned critical first-round wins at the 2023 French Open.
Jessica Pegula
Jessica Pegula prevailed in an All-American matchup in the first round against Danielle Collins.
Pegula, 29, is not mentioned in the Big 3 conversation with Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina, despite being ranked No. 3 in the world.
She admits that their level of play has challenged her, and though the Big 3 have dominated recently, she believes any woman in the field can win any given tournament.
Pegula is the highest-ranked American, and fans are eager for her to win her maiden Grand Slam.
Madison Keys
Madison Keys, 28, fought through a topsy-turvy match against Kaia Kanepi.
She won in three sets: 6-1, 3-6, 6-1.
Keys has fallen out of the Top 10, but she should not be overlooked if she can get to the second week.
Her best finish at the French Open was in the semifinals in 2018.
Sloane Stephens
Sloane Stephens, the lone Grand Slam winner of these three American women, the 2017 U.S. Open Champion, is 30 years old.
Stephens also was the runner-up at the 2018 French Open.
In the first round, Stephens defeated Karolina Pliskova in straight sets, serving up a bagel to Plisoka in the first set.
Stephens won a small clay court tune-up event in France earlier in the month which seemed to reinvigorate her.
Despite struggling with consistency and form in recent years, Stephens enjoys playing on the clay and like Keys, could be a spoiler to any opponent.
Conclusion
In the past 40 years, since 1983, only 4 American women have won the French Open.
They are Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Jennifer Capriati, and Serena Williams.
Could one of these three WTA tour veterans add her name to this illustrious list of American champions in Roland Garros?
Fans would love to see one of these women win it as well as 20-year-old Coco Gauff, last year’s finalist.
Gauff starts her French Open with a first-round match scheduled for Tuesday, May 30.
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