In Pictures: Sloane Stephens returns to practice courts for pre-season training; flexes Wimbledon-themed socks
Sloane Stephens recently shared glimpses into her return to the practice courts as she started her pre-season training for the 2025 season. During her training session, Stephens sported a pair of Wimbledon-themed socks.
Stephens had a subpar 2024, even though she won her seventh WTA Tour-level title during the year, the Open de Rouen. At the Majors, her best finish in 2024 came at the Australian Open, where she reached the third round. At the Wimbledon Championships, she made it to the second round. However, her French Open and US Open campaigns ended in disappointing first-round exits.
Recently, Sloane Stephens took to her Instagram and shared two pictures on her Instagram Stories. In the first picture, her white socks could be seen featuring two crossed rackets, which, over the years, have become synonymous with the Wimbledon Championships and even appear in the prestigious grasscourt Grand Slam's logo.
The next picture showed Stephens' shadow on the practice court, with the American making a victory sign with her left hand.
Stephens, a former World No. 3, marked the biggest achievement of her career at the 2017 US Open, where she overcame the legendary Venus Williams in the semifinals and then got the better of Madison Keys in the title decider.
She also reached the 2018 French Open final but fell at the last hurdle to former World No. 1 Simona Halep. Stephens made it to the final of the 2018 WTA Finals as well but had to settle for second-best after losing to Elina Svitolina.
The Florida native's title triumph at the 2017 US Open was unexpected, as she was ravaged by injuries in the build-up to that year's US Open Series. Earlier this year, she spoke up about the injury struggles she had to deal with, which ultimately resulted in her miraculous triumph at Flushing Meadows.
"I was finding a new purpose in my life" - Sloane Stephens on lengthy spell on sidelines with injury ahead of US Open 2017
In October this year, Stephens was featured as a guest on the Tennis Insider Club podcast. During her candid conversation with the podcast co-hosts Caroline Garcia and Borja Duran, she revisited her 11-month injury spell leading up to the 2017 US Open Series. Stephens recalled how she spent the time doing things apart from tennis, which helped her look at life from a fresh perspective.
"I had already not played since the [2016] US Open so it was like 11 months. I got to do all the things that I wanted to do. I would go to weddings, baby showers and graduations. It was great. It was fun but it was like I was finding a new purpose in my life. I graduated from school, was getting my undergraduate degree. I did some live TV, I did some commentating," Stephens said.
Stephens finished the 2024 season as the World No. 78 in singles. She ended the year as the World No. 64 in doubles, winning the women's doubles title at the 2024 Charleston Open with compatriot Ashlyn Krueger.