Sloane Stephens Gears Up To Defend Her Title
Tennis|Sept Oct 2018

In the twelve months since her unexpected breakthrough at Flushing Meadows, Sloane Stephens has revealed plenty about herself, with plenty of drama along the way

Stephen Tignor
Sloane Stephens Gears Up To Defend Her Title

Winning a Grand Slam, everyone just expects you to win every tournament after that,” Sloane Stephens told NBC Sports this spring, with her customary mix of blithe irony and disarming honesty. “I did the complete opposite. I literally lost like eight matches in a row or something crazy like that.”

By now, doing the “complete opposite” of what champions are supposed to do has become second nature for Stephens. At 19, in 2013, she beat Serena Williams on her way to the Australian Open semifinals, rose to No. 12 in the world rankings, and was widely proclaimed to be the future of U.S. tennis. Instead of riding that wave to the top, though, Stephens was engulfed by the expectations it created. She spent most the next three years outside the Top 20, and failed to reach another Grand Slam semifinal until 2017.

Stephens finally fulfilled those expectations—and went beyond what most people thought was possible—by winning the US Open last year. But her path to sudden success was just as surprising and unconventional as her retreat had been. After undergoing foot surgery and being sidelined for 11 months, she began the summer hard-court swing ranked No. 957. Four tournaments later, she had won her first major title and appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

“There’s no pressure on me,” Stephens said in the middle of her meteoric rise. “I’m just going and having fun. I think most of it is I’m so excited to be on the court and to be able to play again, that I kind of have, like, a little extra oomph.”

Denne historien er fra Sept Oct 2018-utgaven av Tennis.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra Sept Oct 2018-utgaven av Tennis.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA TENNISSe alt
The Tennis Conversation: Jenson Brooksby, a piano man
Tennis

The Tennis Conversation: Jenson Brooksby, a piano man

Billy Joel may be a New York City icon, but the fans in Queens should start getting to know this piano man

time-read
4 mins  |
September - October 2021
The Five-Step Sit-Down Plan
Tennis

The Five-Step Sit-Down Plan

Don’t neglect the value of a smart changeover routine

time-read
2 mins  |
September - October 2021
MAKING THE TURN
Tennis

MAKING THE TURN

Six years after saying goodbye to the protour grind, Mardy Fish may be more active than ever—on the court, on the course, and helping combat a struggle anyone can encounter

time-read
9 mins  |
September - October 2021
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Tennis

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Queens is known for its gastronomy as much as its tennis. Daniil Medvedev, equal parts sugar and spice, hopes to add a unique flavor to the borough as he vies for his first major

time-read
9 mins  |
September - October 2021
SUMMER IN THE CITIES
Tennis

SUMMER IN THE CITIES

Broadway may not re-open until mid September, but tennis offers its own brand of live theatre in the preceding months

time-read
2 mins  |
September - October 2021
REOPEN SEASON
Tennis

REOPEN SEASON

The pandemic halted tennis as an up-close experience— but is now giving way to pandemonium among crowds. As the pro game reopens this summer and fans gather again, we’re realizing what we’ve been missing for so long

time-read
10+ mins  |
September - October 2021
Court of Appeals
Tennis

Court of Appeals

Resolving Your Rules Questions&Quarrels

time-read
3 mins  |
September - October 2021
An Open Mind: New York's Slam has no shortage of history, but it always evolves
Tennis

An Open Mind: New York's Slam has no shortage of history, but it always evolves

In the last decade, Arthur Ashe Stadium got a roof, and a new Grandstand and Louis Armstrong Stadium debuted.

time-read
2 mins  |
September - October 2021
Those Fall Feels
Tennis

Those Fall Feels

The end of summer may be bittersweet, but getting lost amid the backroads of NEW ENGLAND adds a silver—and golden—lining to the season change. Pack a few sweaters along with your tennis kit and prepare for leaf-peeping, scenic drives and delicious autumnal ingredients to pair with your forehands

time-read
6 mins  |
September - October 2021
Tennis

Court of Appeals

Resolving Your Rules Questions & Quarrels

time-read
3 mins  |
May - June 2021