Stephens beats Pliskova in French Open first round

Sloane Stephens has reached the quarter-finals three times at Roland Garros, including in 2018 when she was runner-up

Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens showed why she is one of the French Open's most dangerous unseeded players by knocking out Karolina Pliskova.

Stephens, runner-up in Paris in 2018, was not ranked high enough to be seeded when the draw was made last week but is now 30th, which would have been enough.

Compatriot Madison Keys also advanced.

Keys, beaten by Stephens in the 2017 US Open final, won 6-1 3-6 6-1 against Estonia's Kaia Kanepi, while 2021 runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia beat Czech teenager Linda Fruhvirtova 6-2 6-2.

Later on Monday, French fifth seed Carolina Garcia opens her campaign against China's Wang Xiyu, while two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and Elina Svitolina are also in action.

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