2, Simona Halep, at the Washington Open. She reached the fourth round at Indian Wells, where she lost a three-set match to world No. In contrast, she has a more compact swing with her two-handed backhand. [60], Stephens was ready to return for the Australian hardcourt season. Without a permanent coach this year the world No.7 posted a 6-6 match record on Tour until appointing Sven Groeneveld ahead of her clay-court campaign. Published Aug 21, 2019. [55] Stephens built on this momentum with a third-round appearance in her Wimbledon main-draw debut, which was highlighted by an upset of 23rd seed Petra Cetkovsk. [135] Stephens entered the French Open having never reached the quarterfinals. [108] At the time of her last WTA event of the year at the end of July, Stephens was ranked No. [156] Stephens fell out of the top 10 shortly before the US Open, and again afterwards. As Sloane Stephens plays in the French Open, the second Grand Slam event of the year, she has regrets about having competed at the first one. 1 Iga Swiatek trounces former champ Sloane Stephens", "Quite a scene in Parma; Sloane Stephens overcomes bee sting, difficult opponent", "Parma Ladies Open: Maria Sakkari claims last-8 spot; Sloane Stephens exits", "Sloane Stephens falls to Masarova in opening Auckland contest; Sofia Kenin sets Gauff clash", "Sloane Stephens in early Hobart WTA exit", "Australian Open 2023 results: Maria Sakkari avoids a shock against Diana Shnaider", "Mrida Open: Stephens gets first win of 2023", "World TeamTennis Adds Stars Tiafoe, Puig, Roanic, Bouchard, & Sock As Rosters Set For 2020", "U.S. Open Loss Behind Her, Madison Keys Accentuates the Positive", "Madison Keys will crack top 10 in world rankings after reaching Birmingham final", "Why is it the American women are thriving at the US Open? Even though they only met a few times in person, the two of them developed a close relationship remotely. [238][239] Nonetheless, Stephens has said the two of them still had a good relationship. Although her ranking was high enough to qualify, she narrowly missed out on that goal as she was the fifth-highest ranked American with each country only being allotted at most four players in each draw. 1, Serena Williams, who was returning from her long boycott of the tournament. [244] Halep won their first encounter in 2012 at the Barcelona Ladies Open. 109, Melinda Czink, while still only 15 years old, but was unable to advance to the main draw in any of these appearances. Stephens moved to Florida to train at a tennis academy, ultimately working with Nick Saviano. [140] Nonetheless, she moved up to No. Sloane Stephens' Coach on 'Creative' Ways They Kept Up Her Training Regimen amid Pandemic Still, she says, "The pandemic has taught me to focus more on what I can control and less on what I cannot. 1 seed, followed by this year's French Open champion, Ashleigh Barty, at No. Paul is popular for his time with 20 times Grand Slam Champion Roger Federer and 17 times Grand Slam winner Pete Sampras. doTerra is a company that primarily sells essential oils, while Precision Nutrition provides coaching for diet and exercise. Chris Evert was a top ex-tennis player with an incredible record of 89.97% (1309-146) in the Singles (second highest in the history of male and female tennis). Chicago will return to World TeamTennis this summer, with 2017 U.S. Open women's champion Sloane Stephens leading the expansion Smash. She lost in the first round to 17th seed and world No. During the tournament, she reached the semifinals, where she lost to No. It'll be okay, don't worry. She also worked briefly with Paul Annacone and became the first female player to be coached by the famous American coach. [34] She would lose in qualifying the next two years as well. 3, Serena Williams. After Stephens's victory against her at the tournament, Serena commented, "I made you," in a tweet believed to be directed at Stephens and did not speak to her younger compatriot until at least May. She has no Doubles titles and has been ranked as high as 94 under the category. The foundation is run by Stephens, her mother, and her uncle Ronald Smith. [201] In Miami, she lost in the second round to 16th seed and world No. 13 Ana Ivanovic after struggling with a torn abdominal muscle, which was initially injured during her fourth-round loss at the French Open a few months earlier. View. [93] In her only grass-court tune-up, Stephens made it to the semifinals at the Eastbourne International. Her mother was the first African-American woman in Division I history to be selected to the first team of All-American swimmers. 3, Aryna Sabalenka. Thomas was able to win only a Singles career title before retiring from playing tennis.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'thetennistime_com-banner-1','ezslot_10',154,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thetennistime_com-banner-1-0'); After leaving Thomas, Sloane returned to her former coach, Nick Saviano. Williams entered the semifinal on a 20 match win streak, while multiple betting websites listed the 19-year-old Stephens as at least an 11-to-1 underdog. I'd love for both of us to be able to be in the position to play each other multiple times. She defeated three top-ten players at the event, including No. Now the Grand Slam champion is here to sh. Stephens was the 2017 US Open champion, and has won seven WTA Tour singles titles in total. [73] She lost in the next round to No. Her best Grand Slam performance was a quarterfinal loss to Johanna Konta at the French Open, where she could not defend her runner-up finish from the previous season. Emma Hruby . [107] After the Olympics, Stephens revealed she had been hindered by a left foot injury for most of the year, for which doctors recommended time off to recover. [197], Stephens started her 2022 season at the Australian Open. [98] Their partnership proved successful immediately. Kamau is arguably the most successful coach of Sloane so far since he led her to her highest career ranking and five out of the seven career titles she has won. [11] She started playing tennis at the age of nine at the Sierra Sport and Racquet Club, a tennis facility located across the street from her house where her stepfather regularly played and her mother was taking lessons. After two lopsided split sets, Stephens won a tight third set to reach her first Grand Slam singles final. Emma Hruby Mar 11, 2022. [136][137] Despite going up a set and a break, Stephens lost the final to world No. This score is average compared to other women's tennis players, and rates similarly to fellow Grand Slam tournament winners Justine Henin and Victoria Azarenka. She returned from injury in the middle of 2017 and won the US Open singles title in her fifth tournament back. 24, Jil Teichmann, in the fourth round. 9, Carla Surez Navarro, in the second round for her first top-ten victory in almost two years. [264] Nonetheless, under Nainkin, Stephens had her breakthrough tournament at the 2013 Australian Open and reached a career-best ranking of No. 92 to reach the fourth round. As the top seed, she was eliminated in the first round by lucky loser and world No. Nonetheless, she finished the year as the youngest player in the top 50 at No. 1 and eventual champion, Iga witek. [45] Two of her biggest improvements came at two Grand Slam events. [123][124] She also became the lowest-ranked US Open champion ever, and the fifth-lowest at any Grand Slam tournament. Because Halep has dominated their matches, Stephens has downplayed their rivalry, saying, "It's not a rivalry if you don't beat the person. [117] She then defeated No. First, she qualified for the Premier-5 Italian Open and advanced to the second round. Top-Seed Aryna Sabalenka Battles Past Sloane Stephens at National Bank Open 2021 Round 2", "Halep claims first win since May in Cincinnati, Azarenka and Bencic triumph", "Sloane Stephens escapes with win over Madison Keys in Round 1", "Kerber beats Stephens in battle of former US Open champions", "Azarenka cruises in Chicago debut; Zidansek rolls past Stephens", "US Open champ Raducanu upset at Indian Wells; Murray wins", "Slovakia upset the U.S. at Billie Jean King Cup", "U.S. beats Spain to set up Billie Jean King Cup semifinal against Russia", "COLLINS AND STEPHENS BLAST RUTHLESS USA INTO BILLIE JEAN KING CUP SEMI-FINALS", "SAMSONOVA DOUBLES DOWN TO LEAD RTF TO BILLIE JEAN KING CUP FINAL", "Russians and Switzerland set up clash in Billie Jean King Cup final", "Emma Raducanu Rediscovers Winning Ways Against Sloane Stephens", "Stephens overcomes Bouzkova in Guadalajara, wins first title since 2018", "Sloane Stephens pulls out late from Monterrey", "BNP Paribas Open: Naomi Osaka rallies past Sloane Stephens in gusty first-round matchup", "Gauff and Rogers win, more seeded women fall at Miami Open", "Zheng Qinwen beats former champ Stephens in Charleston", "Djokovic downs Karatsev to enter Italian Open third round", "WTA roundup: Sloane Stephens bounced in France", "French Open: Sloane Stephens, Daria Saville score upsets in 2R", "Gauff, Stephens to play in all-American French Open QF; Pegula to face No. The 29-year-old was born on the 20th of March, 1993, in Florida, United States (US), into a family with a strong athletics history. I either write tennis articles or play tennis with my friends. She defeated Lucie Hradeck in her first career main-draw match before losing to the defending champion, 12th-seeded Vera Zvonareva. The title brought Stephens back into the top 30. [182] She lost in her fourth-round match to eventual champion Barbora Krejkov. Stephens had frequently been regarded as a potential successor to Serena Williams to become the next top American women's tennis player, if not the best in the world. 30 Sara Errani. [149] She finished the season ranked No. [15], Roger Smith began coaching Stephens in early 2009 and worked with her for several years. 17 after the tournament. ", "Keys leads next generation of American women at U.S. Open", "Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys Highlight New Wave of American Female Tennis Players", "W2W4 at US Open: Advantage Madison Keys or Sloane Stephens? 2 seed in the WTT Playoffs. [192] In November, she played for the U.S. team at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. 23, compatriot, and eventual finalist, Coco Gauff. Sloane Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion, made it clear the future will have to wait as she dominated 17-year-old Coco Gauff in their first meeting. She was also awarded WTA Comeback Player of the Year for her successful season. [111][112] However, she showed some signs of improvement by reaching the doubles final at Washington with Eugenie Bouchard. [41] Although she seldom played on the pro tour that year, Stephens decided to turn pro in October following a strong junior season. [45], Stephens started her 2020 season at the Brisbane International. [281][282][283], Stephens has previously signed a deal with the American Express credit card company and was formerly an endorser of the Listerine mouthwash product. [291][13][292], Stephens has been married to United States national soccer team player Jozy Altidore, who was also one of her childhood friends in Florida, since 1 January 2022. They played for a third time in 2021 at the US Open and Sloane prevailed in a third set tiebreak. . [279] She has appeared in television advertisements for Built with Chocolate Milk, a campaign to encourage chocolate milk as a recovery drink. [70] Stephens continued her Grand Slam tournament success at Wimbledon by making it to the quarterfinals, again without defeating a seeded opponent. For Sloane Stephens, the beginning of a friendship", "Sloane Stephens Ready to Sparkle in 2013", "WIL 12 Serena Williams vs. Sloane Stephens Match Summary", "The Stars and Stripes in 2013: Sloane Stephens", "Serena, Venus lift USA past Sweden in Fed Cup", "Stephens' maturation continues as she exits French Open quietly", "Wimbledon: Sloane Stephens steals spotlight from Serena Williams again", "Maria Sharapova beaten by Sloane Stephens in second round of Cincinnati Masters", "USTA FL Friday Blog: Roddick Debut on FOX Sports 1; Tennis on TV", "Serena Williams defeats Sloane Stephens in fourth round of U.S. Open", "WTA Caroline Wozniacki and Sloane Stephens head to Istanbul as alternates", "Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens withdraw from Hobart International", "Australian Open 2014: Victoria Azarenka breezes past Sloane Stephens to dispel memories of controversial victory last year", "Sloane Stephens advances to Indian Wells quarterfinals in strong outing", "France stun USA to seal World Group place", "French Open 2014: Simona Halep beats Sloane Stephens in fourth round", "Sloane Stephens ousted in first round at Wimbledon by Maria Kirilenko", "Sloane Stephens falls in second round of U.S. Open", "What's Next for Sloane Stephens After Early 2015 Australian Open Exit? Sloane Stephens is building her resume of accomplishments both on and off the court!. [196] In the end, Russia beat the USA 21 to advance to the final. [154], Outside of the majors, Stephens best performance also came on clay at the Madrid Open, a Premier Mandatory event. She did not return to form until late May when she reached her second semifinal at Strasbourg. Now, Stephens has Nadal's former coach in her corner. Sloane Stephens hasreconnected with coach Kamau Murray days ahead of this year's U.S. Open, which Stephens won in 2017 while working with Murray. [216] She lost in the second round to Danka Kovini, in three sets. At just 19 years old Sloan Stephens lived hers and won the 2017 US Open. [98] With Murray as her coach, Stephens established herself as one of the best players in women's tennis. ", "Stephens Falls to Fellow American Davis in Auckland", "Heather Watson upsets Sloane Stephens 63, 61 at Hobart International", "Australian Open 2015: Sloane Stephens stalls as Victoria Azarenka looks her challenge in the eyes", "Sloane Stephens tops Madison Keys at Miami Open in 'next-generation' match", "Simona Halep gets past Sloane Stephens to reach Miami Open semi-finals", "French Open: Sloane Stephens defeats Venus Williams as it happened", "Serena Williams beats Sloane Stephens to reach French Open last eight", "WTA Eastbourne: Sloane Stephens En Huitime De Finale", "CoCo Vandeweghe overpowering at Wimbledon, pushes into round of 16", "Sloane Stephens wins Citi Open for first WTA title", "CoCo Vandeweghe grants on-court interview during changeover", "Simona Halep will try to break through vs. Sloane Stephens, who knows the feeling", "Sloane Stephens beats Julia Goerges in ASB Classic final", "Kerber Retires With Illness In Charleston, But Take Nothing Away From Stephens", "Stephens wins Third Tournament of 2016 in Charleston", "For at least one post-match embrace Sunday at Wimbledon, 'quality was good', "Sloane Stephens exits, again, in Australian Open 1st round", "Bouchard beats Stephens in Olympic debut at Rio 2016", "Coping With Injury: Inside the Mind of Pro Tennis Player Sloane Stephens", "How Sloane Stephens's Tennis Channel Gig Helped her During Injury Recovery", "After long layoff, Sloane Stephens sees some positives in Wimbledon loss", "No. 198. Stephens, ranked No. Entering the Miami Open Sloane Stephens had lost eight of nine matches and hadn't won consecutive matches since the US Open in September. "Looking back on it now, I should have asked to. "[131] In the coming months, she would prove to be correct, first by snapping her losing streak at her next tournament in Acapulco. Your email address will not be published. In her first appearance in 2008, she defeated world No. [30][31] Her best singles result that year was a Grand Slam semifinal at the US Open, where she lost to Daria Gavrilova in a third set tiebreak. She lost in the third round to No. [285] Moreover, Stephens has worked with Time Warner Cable as part of their Connect a Million Minds campaign to motivate the importance of education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. Sloane Stephens's Coach Recommits to Craft After Health Scare. [254][255][256] Stephens has the ability to hit powerful winners as she takes large swings with her forehand. She credits her time away from playing tennis that was spent on her studies and her job with the Tennis Channel for improving her perspective on being a professional tennis player.[250]. [263] In June 2012, Stephens switched coaches to David Nainkin in order to try to qualify for the 2012 Olympics. 5 in the world. Just a week before the US Open, former champion Sloane Stephens has parted ways with coach Sven Groeneveld. But Keys prevailed at the 2021 Italian Open a month later. 3, 2021: French Open fourth round, out of top 50, 2022: First title since 2018, French Open quarterfinal, Last edited on 28 February 2023, at 15:01, https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1605598193718161408, "For a Rising Tennis Star, a Connection, Then Dealing With Loss", "She beat Venus to reach the U.S. Open final. Tennis News. 3, Serena Williams. [87] Her first two successful tournaments of the year came at the Premier Mandatory events in March. Stephens was down a set and a break early in the second set, but came from behind to pull off a huge upset. Not many athletes get to live their dream. She won the tournament without dropping a set for her first career WTA title. Sloane Stephens has added a new coach along with a new fiance this weekthe 25-year-old announced that Sven Groeneveld has joined her team. Her father, John Stephens, was a former Pro Bowl player who played for a team in the National Football League, while her mother, Sybil Smith, was an accomplished swimmer who made history during college.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[468,60],'thetennistime_com-box-3','ezslot_9',160,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thetennistime_com-box-3-0'); Sloane started playing tennis at the age of 9 alongside her mother and stepfather at the Sierra Sport and Racquet Club, located just some distance from her home. [35][36] Stephens also received wildcards into the US Open qualifying rounds for three consecutive years. On the contrary, Stephens has also shown the ability to use her mindset of not worrying about disappointing outcomes to bounce back from injury and poor tournaments. [24] These results brought her to a career-high junior ranking of No. Sloane Stephens is a top-rated American female tennis player with a lot to offer and a potential successor to the retired Serena Williams. Stephens's stepfather died from cancer in 2007, while her biological father died in a car crash in 2009. [92] Serena then defeated her in the fourth round, which turned out to be Stephens's best Grand Slam tournament result of the year. [185], In August, Stephens played at the Silicon Valley Classic. She lost in the first round to qualifier Liudmila Samsonova in three sets. 30 in the world. [188] Ranked 66 at the US Open, she won a tight three-set first-round match over 2017 finalist Madison Keys. Veteran Spaniard Francis Roig is set to be the new coach of former US Open champion Sloane Stephens. [239][237] She also noted that she has read Serena's autobiography and respects her strong personality. Stephens was defeated by a top ten player in both semifinals, No. 2, Maria Sharapova. Her first upset of the tournament came in the second round over No. At the Auckland Open, Stephens won her first tournament with the two of them together. She is enshrined in the Boston University Athletic Hall of Fame and recognized as the greatest swimmer in the history of the university. Seeded 26th, she won her opening two matches in straight sets before losing in the third round to third seed and six-time champion Serena Williams. [85][86] She entered the Australian Open unseeded and faced a difficult draw against Victoria Azarenka in the first round. Azarenka eliminated Stephens for the third consecutive year. [290] She was also a fan of the Williams sisters and kept a poster of Serena in her bedroom as a kid. The two Americans finished the round-robin in third place in their group, with only one rubber win against Spain. 12 and was one of only three players to make it to the second week of all four Grand Slam tournaments in 2013, along with Williams and Agnieszka Radwaska. [97] She maintained a steady ranking all year, dropping no lower than No. [15], After her stepfather's death, Stephens and her family moved back to their hometown of Fresno where her grandparents and other members of her mother's family still lived. [155] Aside from this tournament and the French Open, the only other event where she reached the quarterfinals was the Charleston Open at the start of the clay court season. While 19 years old, Stephens rose to prominence at the 2013 Australian Open with a semifinal run beating world No. Kamau Murray coaching Sloane Stephens at last year's Open. [43][44] After starting the year ranked No. But she was able to reach the semifinals of both Premier 5 tournaments that month, the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open. 10 Angelique Kerber in the fourth round and quarterfinals, and No. [56] This string of performances brought her into the top 50 of the WTA rankings for the first time. Emma Hruby Dec 22, 2022. [116] In the fourth round, she defeated No. Seeded sixth, she won her seventh WTA singles title by beating Marie Bouzkov in the final. After departing from Saviano for the first time in 2009, Sloane began working with an ex-Bahamas tennis player who turned coach, Roger Smith. [273][274], Stephens is represented by GSE Worldwide. 336. Sloane Stephens is a long-time Rafa Nadal fan. Two days later, the 26-year-old tweeted that she and Murray have reunited. Sloane Stephens has reunited with former coach Kamau Murray, with the pair to work together during the US Open. 802, she finished the 2010 season just inside the top 200 at No. 22 in the world. [240], Stephens has a 16 record against Serena Williams, with three of their matches coming in 2013, other three in 2015 and one in 2020. Having played there every year since 2008, she picked up her first two main draw wins at the tournament, including the second one over No. [190], At the first edition of the Chicago Fall Classic, Stephens was eliminated in the first round by 13th seed Tamara Zidanek. He also recorded a Singles title and three Doubles career titles during his time. He worked alongside Othmane Garma while coaching Sloane and worked briefly with Monica Puig before reconciling with Sloane. In thecharacteristically wide-open landscape of women's tennis, Stephens will be one of many potential contenders for this year's U.S. Open, which will announce its main draw Thursday and begin play Monday. This tennis match is between Heather Watson and Sloane Stephens. Keys has said, "Sloane and I, since we were 12 and 14, have constantly been compared to each other. She has cited her grandfather as her hero and one of her biggest influences growing up. ", "A rematch we've been waiting on: Madison Keys vs. Sloane Stephens", "American pals Sloane Stephens, Madison Keys both reach first French Open QF", "Madison Keys vs Sloane Stephens Head-to-Head", "Win or lose, Sloane Stephens is back and better than ever", "U.S. Open: Venus Williams vs. Sloane Stephens is a look into past and future", "The US Open showed black women have made American tennis great again", "Once friends, Serena Williams, Sloane Stephens redefine relationship", "Sloane Stephens says she was caught off guard by Serena Williams controversy", "Serena Williams vs. Sloane Stephens Head to Head", "2018 US Open Media Day: Stephens downplays Halep 'rivalry', Wozniacki '100%', "Evert - 'I like the contrast in personalities and styles' in Halep, Stephens rivalry", "French Open final recap: Simona Halep BEATS Sloane Stephens to win Roland Garros title", "Australian Open: Serena Williams hurts ankle in easy win, while Roger Federer and Andy Murray win in straight sets", "Simona Halep beats Sloane Stephens for first Grand Slam title", "Top 5 WTA 2018 Matches (No.1): Halep bests Stephens in marathon Montreal final", "Sloane Stephens: "I am happy that I was the last person to win at Key Biscayne", "Comment: Simona Halep's Tenacity Too Much For Stephens' 'Easy Power', "Stephens' win vs. Kasatkina was another casually masterful performance", "How Sloane Stephens' Subtle Athleticism Brought Her Another Big Title", "Rule the Court Like Tennis Star Sloane Stephens", "Sloane Stephens Biography And Detailed Game Analysis", "Sloane Stephens shows you don't have to be aggressive to win a major", "Measuring WTA Tactics With Aggression Score", "Nonchalant reaction to Wimbledon loss a blessing and curse for Sloane Stephens", "Chris Evert Says Sloane Stephens Lacks Hunger", "Chris Evert On Sloane Stephens: 'I Question Whether She Has A Burning Desire', "Sloane Stephens makes late father, stepfather, U.S. tennis proud in U.S. Open girls juniors", "Stephens trying to take control of path ahead", "Sloane Stephens hires Paul Annacone as her coach", "Report: Sloane Stephens working with coach Thomas Hogstedt", "Nick Saviano To Coach Sloane Stephens; Will Start In Hobart", "Sloane Stephens and Nick Saviano Have Parted Ways", "Sloane Stephens, Kamau Murray suspend coaching partnership", "Stephens reunites with coach Murray ahead of US Open", "Sloane Stephens: Finding her Game, Finding her Zen in Charleston - Tennis Now", "AMIDST UNTOLD LOSS, STEPHENS REDISCOVERING INNER FIRE", "Tennis star Sloane Stephens swaps Under Armour for Nike", "Tennis champion Sloane Stephens, long with Under Armour, signs with Nike", "Which tennis racquets do the WTA pros use?