In honor of Black History Month, Sloane Stephens celebrates her mother Sybil's legendary achievements
American tennis player Sloane Stephens is observing Black History Month by honoring her mother, Sybil Smith, and celebrating her illustrious career. Every February, Black History Month is celebrated annually in the United States and Canada to recognize the contributions of African-Americans and their culture.
Stephens took this opportunity to interview her mother, who is a brilliant swimmer. Sybil Smith made history as the first African-American woman to be named a first-team All-American swimmer in Division I.
Smith is celebrated in the Boston University Athletic Hall of Fame (1993) and is widely recognized as the greatest swimmer in the university's history, cementing her legacy as one of the school's greatest athletes. Her remarkable achievement has inspired generations of athletes to strive for excellence.
Sloane Stephens took to Twitter to celebrate her amazing mother and her extraordinary achievements. She also shared an interview that recorded her accomplishments.
"Celebrating #BlackHistoryMonth starting with my mom, Sybil Smith Ed.D., a legend in BU swimming history! 80 wins, 7 unbeaten records, Hall of Fame inductee," wrote Sloane.
Celebrating #BlackHistoryMonth starting with my mom, Sybil Smith Ed.D, a legend in BU swimming history! 80 wins, 7 unbeaten records, Hall of Fame inductee. Check out our interview here ❤️
sloanestephens.beehiiv.com/p/mom-black-hi… https://t.co/ne269X0jTW
Smith is widely regarded as the greatest swimmer in Boston University's history. In her senior year, she achieved a remarkable feat by placing sixth at the NCAA Championships in the 100 yard backstroke event. To this day, Smith remains the only All-American female swimmer in the school's history.
Smith's accomplishments were recognized for being the university's outstanding female athlete in 1987 and 1988, making her the first person to receive this honor twice.
Sybil won an unprecedented eighty consecutive dual meets throughout her four-year swimming career, never once tasting defeat. Seven of her university swim records remain unbeaten to this day, and she was inducted into Boston University's Hall of Fame shortly after Sloane Stephens was born. She set the bar for future generations of black swimmers.
Sloane Stephens to play in the ATX Open this month
Sloane Stephens will join the likes of Emma Raducanu and Danielle Collins to play in the first ever ATX Open in Austin, Texas. The tournament will start on 27 February and will go on till 5 March.
The 2017 US Open champion is a proud winner of seven career titles. She has achieved a career-high ranking of World No. 3 and has also reached the finals of three other tournaments, including the French Open and the WTA Finals in 2018. Sloane Stephens has established herself as a formidable force in the world of tennis and her impressive record speaks for itself.
C O M M I T T E D ✔️
American @SloaneStephens is playing in the inaugural #ATXopen!
Join her: bit.ly/3FsJCD5 https://t.co/lX3EEji5HX
That same week, the WTA 250 tournament in Monterrey will take place, providing the perfect preparation for Indian Wells; the next WTA 1000 tournament of the season, commencing on 6 March.