South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Sloane Stephens returns to New York City a star after last season’s stunning triumph
Kids holding oversized tennis balls squealed as Sloane Stephens strode into Louis Armstrong Stadium on Friday.
Fans clamored for autographs and selfies with Stephens as the U.S. Open allowed the public to watch media day interviews with her and other superstars including Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Simona Halep.
Serena Williams missed the event because her daughter, Alexis Olympia, was “under the weather,” according to the USTA.
Last year, Stephens entered the Open as an unseeded player coming off foot surgery and left with a Grand Slam title.
This year, she’s the No. 3 seed and defending champion—and the first African-American not named Williams to win a major title since Arthur Ashe at Wimbledon in 1975. (Ashe also won the first U.S. Open in 1968.)
“I think I’ve handled it the best that I could,” Stephens said with her usual high-wattage smile. “I’ve just made the most of it, tried to keep my tennis first. That’s really all you can do.”
Stephens, 25, plays in Nike gear now, one significant change since she received the $3.3 million winner’s check last year. Spectators at the Open will also see a life-sized photo of Stephens next to a Mercedes-Benz SUV since she’s become a “brand ambassador” for the luxury-car company.
“There’s always a lot of extra things that happen after winning,” she said. “Obviously, an American winning the U.S. Open is pretty big. Definitely a lot of things to do. A lot less down days for myself. But that comes with the territory.”
So do higher expectations, something Stephens has struggled with in 2018.
In a rollercoaster of a season, she lost in the first round at Wimbledon and the Australian Open, and led by a set and a break against World No. 1 Halep in the French Open final before losing. She also won the title against a star-studded field at the Miami Open in April, and lost a grueling three-set final in Montreal two weeks ago against Halep, whom she has never beaten.
“Eventually, I’m going to get her, and hopefully it will be soon,” Stephens said.
It might just happen here, in the city where Stephens became a superstar. Sloane Stephens of the United States speaks during the U.S. Open Live Draw Unveiling at the U.S. Open Experience at Brookfield Place on Thursday in New York City.