"Christopher Eubanks is literally one of the nicest people in the world, super nice to be around" - Sloane Stephens
American tennis player Sloane Stephens recently had some nice words to spare for her compatriot, Christopher Eubanks.
This year undeniably marked a significant breakthrough for Eubanks, who has faced years of challenges in his pursuit of breaking into the top 100 in world rankings.
Christopher Eubanks stunned the tennis world by defeating fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in a five-set thriller in the fourth round of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships. He also posed a threat to Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals but lost by a score of 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-1.
Eubanks has come a long way since then and made quite a name for himself. It's now time for him to shine at his home Grand Slam, the US Open, which begins on Monday, August 28. For the first time, Eubanks received direct entry into the New York Slam and will be seeded at a major as the 28th seed.
Christopher Eubanks received some complimentary remarks from his countrywoman Sloane Stephens prior to the start of his campaign. Stephens said that she loves the 27-year-old and is overjoyed to see him achieve his goals on the court.
"It's been great. Obviously I love Chris and I've known him for so long and I think being able to see someone who works so hard like Chris, [who is] what you would call a student of the game — he eats, breathes, and sleeps tennis — to see him be able to do well and have the results that every tennis player dreams of is pretty incredible. And I think we all are just so happy for him," Stephens told the ATP Tour.
The former US Open champion added that Christopher Eubanks is "literally one of the nicest people in the world," and that being around him always provides positive energy and vibes.
"He's literally one of the nicest people in the world. So obviously, to have him week in and week out on the Tour and being able to see him and just have good vibes all around," Stephens said.
"I think he is a person [where] you can feel when that they're a good person. He's always been good energy, good vibes. And he's always super nice to be around," she added.
"I want to see him do well, continue to do well" - Frances Tiafoe on Christopher Eubanks
Frances Tiafoe joined Sloane Stephens in lauding Christopher Eubanks, saying that he hopes to see his compatriot succeed and is pleased to see him receive the recognition he deserves.
"It’s great. It’s great seeing him getting notoriety for it," Tiafoe told the ATP Tour, adding, "I want to see him do well, continue to do well. He’s a great friend of mine and I’m happy to see him doing so well."
Eubanks is eying his first Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open. He will face Soon-woo Kwon in the first round on Monday (August 28). Their head-to-head record stands at 1-1. Eubanks defeated the South Korean in their most recent meeting at the Australian Open in 2023.