INDIAN WELLS, Calif., March 10 (UPI) -- Sloane Stephens, a 17-year-old American playing in just her fourth WTA Tour match, advanced to the second round Thursday at the BNP Paribas Open.
Stephens, in her first appearance on the circuit this year, defeated Jamie Hampton 6-2, 6-4 and earned a meeting with world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki.
The first round of this 96-player tournament was concluded Thursday. All 32 seeds had a bye into the second round.
The only other tour victory for Stephens came in Sweden last year when she defeated Alberta Brianti. Stephens then won just two games in falling to Flavia Pennetta in the second round.
Laura Pous-Tio advanced Thursday with a 6-2, 6-1 decision over Angelique Kerber. Pous-Tio will face fourth-seeded Samantha Stosur in the second round.
An all-Chinese second-round match was set up when Peng Shuai ousted Renata Voracova 7-5, 6-1. Peng will take on seventh-seeded Li Na in the next round.
Among the other first-round winners Thursday were Simona Halep, Agnes Szavay, Elena Baltacha, Anna Chakvetadze, Urszula Radwanska, Christina McHale and Sofia Arvidsson.
Friday's featured second-round match will send No. 2 seed Kim Clijsters against Alla Kudryavtseva.
