French Open: Sloane Stephens suffers outright defeat to world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka

Sloane Stephens’ French Open dream is over after she fell to world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in the first women’s match chosen for this year’s night session at Roland Garros.

American Stephens has a great record in Paris and on clay in general, but this match was in danger of derailing early when she was 5-0 down just 17 minutes into the first set.

Stephens rallied to force a tiebreak and perhaps improve the game, only to be narrowly eliminated by Sabalenka, who had previously squandered several set points.

The Belarusian, who is no stranger to controversy after refusing to convict dictator Alexander Lukashenko this week, won the second set to pick up a 7-6, 6-4 victory.

Stephens played tennis with style, but it wasn’t enough and it means Coco Gauff and Bernarda Pera are the only Americans left in singles.

The American was defeated by the Belarusian in two sets in the night match

Stephens was narrowly eliminated by Sabalenka after forcing an opening set tiebreak

Pera, number 36 in the world, will play against favorite Ons Jabeur tomorrow morning, while Gauff will meet Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.

“It was a crazy game, Sloane played incredible tennis to come back from that score,” Sabalenka said after the game. “I was a bit lucky in that first set. Thanks everyone for the atmosphere.

‘It was amazing. Thank you so much. I didn’t expect all those people.’

It comes after French Open organizers came under fire for rejecting many women’s matches in the showpiece, separately available night session on Court Philippe Chatrier.