Sloane Stephens takes a trip to Charlotte for event ft. Carlos Alcaraz, Frances Tiafoe, Madison Keys; shows off custom jerseys from local teams
American tennis player Sloane Stephens recently shared highlights from her visit to Charlotte, North Carolina, ahead of the Charlotte Invitational. She also posted a clip of the local team's custom jerseys, including those of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, and Major League Soccer’s Charlotte FC.
Stephens last competed at the Korean Open, where she faced an early exit falling to compatriot Hailey Baptiste 6-7(7), 2-6 in the opening round. Since then, the American has not returned to competitive action; instead, she shares moments from her life with fans online.
During the offseason, Stephens resumed training for the 2025 season and recently offered a glimpse of her return to the practice courts. She would look to build momentum for the upcoming season at the Charlotte Invitational.
The inaugural event will take place at the Spectrum Center at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6. It will feature four-time Major champion Carlos Alcaraz, who will face Frances Tiafoe, while Sloane Stephens will take on fellow American Madison Keys.
On Thursday, December 5, Stephens shared the highlights of her visit to Charlotte North Carolina, on her Instagram story.
Watch her story below:
Stephens struggled to find consistency after her 2017 US Open triumph, a challenge she reflected on a few months ago.
"I think I was a little bit lost": Sloane Stephens recalls the challenges she faced following her 2017 US Open triumph
Sloane Stephens' career highlight came at the 2017 US Open, where she defeated the legendary Venus Williams in the semifinals before triumphing over Madison Keys in the final to claim her first Major title. The following year, she reached the French Open final but has not added another Major to her resume since.
During an episode of the Tennis Insider Club podcast, Stephens admitted that after her 2017 US Open title, she felt lost and was unsure of what to do next. Despite being injured, she continued to play without fully understanding the challenges.
"I think I was a little bit lost (after the 2017 US Open title) because I was like, 'what am I going to do now?' and I was like, 'I don't know what there is to do', but obviously, after the US Open, I was injured, but I kept playing. I just was like playing, playing, playing. (at 29:53)
The 31-year-old explained that after her US Open victory, she swiftly climbed into the top 15, but her protected ranking prevented her from withdrawing from mandatory tournaments, forcing her to push through.
"Obviously, I had won (the US Open) from no ranking to inside the top 15, and then, not to offend them 1000s, the mandatories, which I had entered on my protected (ranking), I couldn't pull out of. So I'm going to have a go because otherwise I'll get fined and all of these things. It was an up and down journey. Like, I definitely would have stopped playing after the US Open," she added.
Stephens' sole title this season came at the Open de Rouen, where she defeated Magda Linette 6-1, 2-6, 6-2.