Sloane Stephens overcame a slow start to defeat Heather Watson of Great Britain, 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-1, as women’s main draw singles play began Wednesday at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
There were six service breaks in the first set. Stephens was serving for the first set at 5-4 but was broken by Watson, who went on to win the set in a tiebreaker.
The 28-year-old Stephens forced a deciding third set when she broke Watson in the final game of the second set, then won the first five games of the final set.
“I just competed really well,” said Stephens, who entered the tournament 73rd on the Women’s Tennis Association rankings, her lowest ranking since winning the U.S. Open in 2017 when she was ranked 83rd.
“After the first set, that was disappointing to lose that one, but I felt like it was a battle and I was still in the match. I knew I had to keep fighting and that’s what I did, and I’m just really pleased to have squeaked out a win here.”
The victory was Stephens’ third over the 29-year-old Watson in their eight meetings.
“Playing Heather is always a tough match,” said Stephens, who will face fellow American Jessica Pegula in the second round. “We grew up playing the juniors together. We’re really good friends.
“Literally, before the tournament, we were talking in the parking lot for like an hour about everything, how we have been friends for so long, how we’re able to separate the match and still be friends. Then we ended up playing each other in the first round.”
Stephens rose to a career-best third in 2018 after reaching the finals of the French Open. She has not reached a tournament final since 2018.
Stephens was 39th in the first rankings issued in 2021 and dropped to 73rd June 28. She advanced to the third round of last month’s U.S. Open, raising her to 55th in the rankings.
The 32 seeded players in the 96-player draw received first-round byes.
Wednesday’s women’s singles winners are guaranteed at least $29,045 while the losers will receive $18,155.
Men’s qualifying play concluded Wednesday with the 12 winners advancing to the 96-player main draw.
Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands, the highest-ranked and top-seeded player in men’s qualifying, defeated American Thai-Son Kwiatkowski, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, Wednesday.
Van de Zandschulp rose from previous career-high 117th on the Association of Tennis Professionals rankings to 62nd after advancing to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open, including victories over then 11th-ranked Casper Ruud of Norway and 14th ranked Diego Schwartzman of Argentina.
Van de Zandschulp lost to eventual champion Daniil Medvedev of Russia in the quarterfinals, 6-3, 6-0, 4-6, 7-5. Van de Zandschulp was the only player to win a set from Medvedev in the U.S. Open.
Van de Zandschulp has dropped to 65th in the rankings. Kwiatkowski is ranked 239th. He rose to a career-high 181st in February 2020 after winning a challenger tournament in Newport Beach. He won the 2017 NCAA men’s singles championship, playing for Virginia.
Wednesday’s winners in men’s qualifying are guaranteed at least $18,155 while the losers will receive $9,110.
Men’s main draw singles play will begin Thursday while seeded women’s players will begin play Friday.