Checking In On Sloane Stephens

Written by: on 20th February 2014
Dubai Tennis WTA Championships
Checking In On Sloane Stephens

epa04083032 Sloane Stephens of the USA returns the ball to Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic during their first round match of of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis WTA Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 17 February 2014. EPA/ALI HAIDER  |

When she first came on tour, Sloane Stephens was one of the most delightful, funniest and media accessible players on tour. But no more.

 

After giving two interviews to non-tennis publications last winter after she upset Serena Williams at the Australian open and heavily criticizing her for being an alleged phony, Stephens went into a shell that she has yet to come out of. Since last March, she has not given a single one on one interview to any print publication. She will do broadcast interviews and occasional press conferences, but even at the WTA Championship, where she was an alternate and didn’t have to play a match, she refused to meet with a small group of US tennis reporters who were there.

 

This season, she feels much the same about meeting the press. It weighs on her.

 

“It’s still the same attention,” she said after Dubai. “It’s still very taxing, I’d say. Actually, this year and last year I’m in pretty much the same exact place. It’s not that bad. It’s still building, and hopefully keep improving.”

 

Stephens reached the second week of all of the majors last year, the youngest player to do so, but did little outside of the Grand Slam events. She added that her results last year would have been the same even if she did not get herself into hot water off court.

 

“Last year was a really long year,” she said. “It was tough towards the end, but I came through like a champ, and I think I did pretty well. I think being obviously American, it’s a much bigger deal because sports is really big in the US, and either way I think the whole thing was a learning experience and it was what it was.”

 

The 20-year-old Stephens also says that life on the road can be lonely and that many people on tour keep to themselves. She says that she does have a really good life.

 

“Some days, you’re like ‘my life sucks’, but it could be way different and I could be in a completely different situation,” she said. “I’m just thankful for everything that I have.”

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