Sloane Stephens opens up about managing pressure of expectations after incredible US Open win
Sloane Stephens recently revealed her strategy to deal with expectations after winning her maiden Grand Slam title at the 2017 US Open. Stephens was ranked World No. 83 when she emerged victorious in New York.
Sloane Stephens needed a protected ranking to enter the main draw of the 2017 US Open. The American struggled with injuries that year, forcing her to skip the Australian Open and French Open. However, she turned it around at her home slam, where she bettered Jana Cepelova to record her first Grand Slam match win of the year.
Stephens went on to defeat 11th seed Dominika Cibulkova, Ashleigh Barty, 30th Julia Gorges, 16th seed Anastasija Sevastova, ninth seed Venus Williams, and 15th seed Madison Keys to win the title. Consequently, she became the first American woman other than the Williams sisters to win a Grand Slam since 2002 and, at the time, the lowest-ranked US Open champion ever.
Global attention and fanfare followed Sloane Stephens for the longest time after the 2017 US Open, ratcheting expectations for the then-24-year-old. The American recently talked about the pressure on her after her win in New York on the Tennis Insider Club podcast and said the key for her to keep the focus was ignoring the critics.
"I won the US Open, I was just like, I'm here, I'm just gonna, like, figure it out and, like, whatever happens, happens. And, like, again, I was able, I feel like I've been able to block out a lot of noise and nonsense throughout my career and there's been a lot of it and I feel like, again, people would only hope and dream to start playing tennis and have their career that I've had," she said.
Stephens stressed the importance of keeping the head down and working hard. She also expressed a little surprise at the way her career turned out. After the 2017 US Open, the former World No. 3 reached her second Major final at the 2018 French Open but came up short against Simona Halep.
"Did I know I was going to have this career? Absolutely not. Did I know that, I make finals of the French Open? Like, no, you have no idea that that can happen. You can only work hard and try to achieve your goal or try to achieve something better every single time. And, I think that's what I've done and it may have looked a little strange, like, I think for me looking back, like, what was I doing?"
Sloane Stephens - “If I win a Grand Slam, I’m never playing tennis again”
Sloane Stephens has come a long way since the 2017 US Open and revealed what she would do if she ever won a Grand Slam title again. During the 2024 Australian Open, the American appeared in an episode of Cinema Sessions and stated that she would quit the sport as soon as she lifted her second Major title.
"There's more, I feel like there's more. But let me tell you this, if I win a Grand Slam, I’m never playing tennis again. That would be the last, I’ll be like: 'I'll see you guys never, I’m out," Stephens had said.
Since her runners-up finish at the 2018 French Open, Sloane Stephens has not managed to get great results at the Grand Slam level. In fact, her best performance at Majors has been three quarterfinal finishes (2018 US Open, 2019 and 2022 French Open).
In 2024, a third-round run at the Australian Open was the 30-year-old's best showing at Grand Slams. She also won her eighth career singles title this year at the Rouen Open in France and her maiden doubles title at the Charleston Open.