Sloane Stephens attributes power to mother Sybil Smith after French Open 2023 third round win
American tennis player Sloane Stephens attributed the power she generates in her game to her mother, Sybil Smith, a former American former collegiate swimmer.
The now 56-year-old Sybil Smith was the first African-American female swimmer to be named a first-team Division I All-American. She was also the only All-American in Boston University women's swimming history.
Her daughter Sloane Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion, praised her for her athleticism during her post-match court interview at the 2023 French Open on Friday. In her post-match interview, she was asked if it's easy for her to generate much power by Fabrice Santoro.
"Yeah, but I'd say I get it from my mom! She's the most athletic person in my family, so I definitely got it from her," Sloane Stephens said, pointing to her mother in the stands.
Stephens qualified for the fourth round of the 2023 French Open by beating Yulia Putintseva in three sets in the third round, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.
"Obviously I knew today was going to be a battle no matter what. I knew I was gonna grind, I couldn't get frustrated, but instead, play my game and stay steady. I'm happy with doing that," Stephens said after the match.
The American was asked to explain to the viewers at home how it feels to play at Roland Garros.
"It's crazy! Honestly, this is the first time I've played here with the half-roof, so it was a little bit shaded today. It was very different for me, but in general, the stadium filled up, the crowd, the people... we had a whole section of Yulia fans over there. The atmosphere is incredible, and obviously being in Paris in the afternoon and playing some tennis is not bad," Stephens explained.
Sloane Stephens to play Aryna Sabalenka in the fourth round of the 2023 French Open
Sloane Stephens has been playing great so far at Roland Garros, reaching the fourth round without dropping a set. Before dispatching Putintseva, she defeated Karolina Pliskova in the first round, 6-0, 6-4, and Varvara Gracheva in the second round, 6-2, 6-1.
Aryna Sabalenka, meanwhile, was as dominant as expected in the first three rounds. In the first round, she defeated Marta Kostyuk, 6-2, 6-3 and in the second round, she bested Iryna Shymanovich, 7-6, 6-2. In the third round, she beat Kamilla Rakhimova, 6-2, 6-2.
This will be the fourth official duel between the Belarussian and the American, with Sabalenka leading the head-to-head 3-0.
Sabalenka defeated Stephens for the first time in the 2017 Billie Jean King Cup, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. She was then victorious in the second round of the 2021 Montreal Open, 7-6, 4-6, 6-4, and in the second round of the 2022 San Diego Open, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.