Sloane Stephens once promoted laughed in the media room at the Washington Open when she said ‘eventually I will beat someone.’ The comments occurred on August 1st after her loss to Simona Halep. The American was still battling for her first tour win of 2017 following an injury lay-off. Five weeks later, she has defied that odds to reach her maiden US Open final.
In 2016 Stephens sustained a stress fracture to her foot, forcing her to take an 11-month break from tennis. Undergoing an operation at the start of the year, her only taste of the Australian Open was watching it at home as she was unable to even walk.
“I had a massive cast on. I couldn’t walk, so I was, like, planted on my couch for two weeks.” She recounted. “That was the two weeks of the Australian Open, I was at home.”
It wasn’t until May when she returned to the practice court to begin her comeback bid. Initially there was no dream return to the tour for the 24-year-old with back-to-back first round losses at Wimbledon and the Citi Open. Then the North American fairy tale began with back-to-back semifinal appearances in Toronto and Cincinnati. It was a somewhat unexpected surge by the American, who attributed it to her love for the sport.
“Obviously, the game was taken away from me by this surgery and all that stuff. I’m just happy to be out there, excited to be competing again and playing some good tennis,” she told wtatennis.com last month.
Stephens’ newly found perspective and return to the tour has triggered respect from her rivals on the tour. Illustrated by her run in New York. On Thursday she defied the statistics by knocking out tour veteran Venus Williams 6-1, 0-6, 7-5. Clinching her third win over a top 10 player within the past month and a place in her first grand slam final.
“It was definitely well competed. In the end, she ended up winning more points than I did. That’s what it adds up to.” A bitterly disappointed Williams said after the match.
Fighting Stephens for the US Open trophy on Saturday will be Madison Keys. Another player who fought back from injury to shine once again on the tour. It will be a clash of the new generation of women’s tennis. Reassuring America that the sport is in good hands once the formidable Williams sisters leave the sport.
This year three African American players contested the semifinals of the tournament. It is a fitting outcome considering it is the 60th anniversary of Althea Gibson’s first win at the US Open. Gibson was the first ever woman of colour to win a grand slam title in 1956 at the French Open.
“I don’t think there is any other word to describe it than “amazing” for me and Maddie.” Said Stephens.
“Obviously, Venus, we are following in her (Gibson’s) footsteps. She’s been here. She’s represented the game so well as an African-American woman..’
“Maddie and I are here to join her and represent, just as well as Venus had in the past and honoured to be here.”
Usually injury issues cause nothing but misery for tennis players. There is, however a select few that manage to use the setback to turn themselves into a greater player. Stephens rightfully falls into this category. Flushing Meadows is only her fifth tournament of the year and she is already thriving.
“That I’m a real fighter, that I have a lot of grit.” The world No.83 responded when asked what she has learnt about herself.
“I don’t give up. I’m not just going to give it to someone. I’m not just going to let them take it from me. I’m going to make sure I give everything that I have, and I leave everything on the court at all times, no matter what.”
With a blossoming maturity and a new perspective about the game, Stephens seems poised to once again return to the world’s top 20. If this is maintained, Saturday’s grand slam final could be the first of many.
