Karolina Pliskova def. Sloane Stephens
7-6(7) 6-2
Karolina Pliskova defeated Sloane Stephens 7-6(7) 6-2 in the 2026 Australian Open first round on hard courts on January 20, 2026.
Match Information
Match Statistics
| Stat | Karolina Pliskova | Sloane Stephens |
|---|---|---|
| Serving | ||
AcesServes that land in and are not touched by the returner. | 3 | 2 |
Double faultsService points lost by missing both first and second serve. | 8 | 2 |
First serve %Percentage of service points where the first serve landed in. | 66.7% | 77.5% |
First serve points won %Percentage of points won after making a first serve. | 63.0% | 54.5% |
Second serve points won %Percentage of second-serve points won, including points lost through double faults. | 34.8% | 25.0% |
Break points saved %Percentage of break points won by the server. | 50.0% | 14.3% |
Service points won %Percentage of all points won while serving. | 53.6% | 47.9% |
| Returning | ||
Break points converted %Percentage of break-point chances won by the returner. | 85.7% | 50.0% |
Return points won %Percentage of all points won while returning. | 52.1% | 46.4% |
| Overall | ||
Total points won %Percentage of all completed points won. | 52.9% | 47.1% |
Match Serve+This match’s service points won percentage minus the tour’s season average, in percentage points. Zero is average; +5 means five points above average. Match-weighted available stats; no opponent adjustment. | -3.3 | -9.0 |
Match Return+This match’s return points won percentage minus the tour’s season average, in percentage points. Zero is average; +5 means five points above average. Match-weighted available stats; no opponent adjustment. | +9.0 | +3.3 |
* Match Serve+ and Match Return+ compare this match with the WTA 2026 average from available match stats. Zero is average; +5 means five percentage points above average. No opponent adjustment.
Player Comparison
| Field | Karolina Pliskova | Sloane Stephens |
|---|---|---|
| Country | CZE | USA |
| Birth date | Mar 21, 1992 | Mar 20, 1993 |
| Age | 33 | 32 |
| Height | 186 cm | 170 cm |
| Handedness | Right-Handed | Right-Handed |
| Backhand style | Two-Handed Backhand | Two-Handed Backhand |
| Ranking (entering) | — | — |
| Ranking points (entering) | — | — |
| Elo (entering) | 1,728 | 1,632 |
| Current career W-L | 430–248 | 305–250 |
| Current career earnings | $27,178,922 | $19,656,719 |
Path
Karolina Pliskova's path
No prior matches in this tournament.
Karolina Pliskova's next match
| Opponent | Score | W-L | H2H | Match Data | Date | Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janice Tjen | 6-4 6-4 | W | H2H | Match data | Jan 22, 2026 | R64 |
Sloane Stephens's path
| Opponent | Score | W-L | H2H | Match Data | Date | Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucia Bronzetti | 6-1 7-5 | W | H2H | Match data | Jan 15, 2026 | Q3 |
| Olivia Gadecki | 3-6 6-3 6-3 | W | H2H | Match data | Jan 14, 2026 | Q2 |
| Barbora Palicova | 6-1 7-5 | W | H2H | Match data | Jan 12, 2026 | Q1 |