After a seven-month break, Sloane Stephens is finally back. Currently ranked at 361, Sloane Stephens has long maintained a distance from the court due to her commitments off the court and a foot injury that she suffered in March this year. While she was hopeful for a comeback in the French Open itself, she did not play in Paris. And now, just when she was all set for a comeback in Guadalajara, where she won one of her eight WTA titles, Stephens’ return has been halted in a sudden twist.

The 2017 US Open champ, who is coming off a 10-match losing streak, made her long-awaited return at the Guadalajara WTA 500, facing off against Lucrezia Stefanini in a highly anticipated clash. But just as the match was gaining momentum, nature intervened, and light rain began to fall, forcing officials to pause play and dry the lines. The court conditions delayed the final singles match of the day, leaving fans and players in suspense as the American star walked off the court, the tension of the comeback moment hanging in the air.

In a recent update, it was confirmed that play has been canceled for the day in Guadalajara. As shared in a post on X, “Match suspended due to rain at WTA 500 GDL OPEN. The match between Sloane Stephens and Lucrezia Stefanini will continue tomorrow in Guadalajara [Translated from Spanish].” Stephens’ return story remains alive, now poised to resume with fresh energy when the court is ready.

It is to be noted that rain has been a constant issue in Guadalajara. On Monday as well, the matchup between Marina Stakusic and Polina Kudermetova was interrupted due to rain. During Stephens’ clash with Lucrezia Stefanini, after the American lost the first set 6-4, she was just one point away from winning the second set (6-3) before rain suspended the match.

For this match, which is the final encounter of the first round, the outcome will have to wait until Wednesday. They will continue their match only after the conclusion of the match between Darja Vidmanova and Nikola Bartunkova, which is scheduled to start at 2 pm in Guadalajara.

As for Stephens’ return and whether she will be able to end her winning drought, it is highly unlikely for the American to turn things around at the Guadalajara Open.

Compared to Stephens’ 0-10 record since Wimbledon 2024 and 0-3 this year, Stefanini has a 10-9 record on hard courts over the last 12 months. Their current ranking also matters. According to WTA’s official site, the Italian ranks 148th, which is way above Sloane’s 361st. Unlike Stephens, who is playing tennis after a long break, Stefanini has the experience of playing in the last few months. And these points will be even more crucial when the two meet again on Wednesday (only if rain does not ruin the day) to finish the match.

Given that Sloane is close to taking the second set, do you think she will be able to turn things around?