Sloane Stephens
Encyclopedia
Personal life
Stephens was born in Fort Lauderdale, FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
to Sybil Smith (who, in 1988 as a swimmer at Boston University, became the first African-American female to be named First Team All-American in Division I history) and John Stephens, a professional American football player. Stephens had no connection with her father until she was 13, when she began a close over-the-phone friendship with him. John Stephens was killed in a car accident on September 1, 2009, just before the start of the US Open. Stephens attended her father's funeral in Louisiana, but remained entered in the US Open.
She has cited Venus Williams
Venus Williams
Venus Ebony Starr Williams is an American professional tennis player who is a former World No. 1 and is ranked World No. 101 as of 10 October 2011 in singles and World No. 20 in doubles as of 2011. She has been ranked World No. 1 in singles by the Women's Tennis Association on three separate...
, Serena Williams
Serena Williams
Serena Jameka Williams is an American professional tennis player and a former world no. 1. The Women's Tennis Association has ranked her world no. 1 in singles on five separate occasions. She became the world no. 1 for the first time on July 8, 2002 and regained this ranking for the fifth time on...
, and Kim Clijsters
Kim Clijsters
Kim Antonie Lode Clijsters is a Belgian professional tennis player. As of 7 November 2011, Clijsters is ranked No. 13 in singles. Clijsters is a former World No. 1 in both singles and doubles....
as her inspirations in tennis.
Junior Tennis
Stephens had a breakthrough on the ITF Junior CircuitITF Junior Circuit
The ITF Junior Circuit is the premier level for world wide competition among under-18 junior tennis players. Founded in 1977 with only nine tournaments, the current 2009 ITF Junior Circuit offered 358 tournaments in 118 different countries...
in 2008, when at the US Open
2008 US Open - Girls' Doubles
Ksenia Milevskaya and Urszula Radwańska were the defending champions, but did not compete in the Juniors that year.Noppawan Lertcheewakarn and Sandra Roma won in the final 6–0, 6–2, against Mallory Burdette and Sloane Stephens.-Seeds:...
she finished runner up alongside partner Mallory Burdette. Later at the Grade A Orange Bowl, she made it to the semifinals as a wild card before losing in three sets to compatriot Christina McHale
Christina McHale
Christina McHale is a professional American tennis player. Her highest WTA singles ranking is No. 45, and in doubles it is No. 171. McHale has beaten numerous top WTA tour players, including current world no...
.
Stephens continued her good form in 2009, capturing the singles and doubles titles at Grade 1 USTA International Spring Championships (partnering with Mallory Burdette). Stephens then traveled to Italy where she captured the Grade A Italian Open singles title. The following week, Stephens participated in her first overseas junior Grand Slam, the French Open. As a qualifier Stephens reached the semifinals before losing 5–7 3–6 to eventual champion Kristina Mladenovic
Kristina Mladenovic
Kristina Mladenovic is a French professional tennis player of Serbian background. Her highest WTA singles ranking is 171st, which she reached on 12 April 2010.Kristina was born in Saint-Pol-sur-Mer, Nord department of France...
.
The following month, Stephens reached the quarterfinals at the junior Wimbledon
2009 Wimbledon Championships - Girls' Singles
Noppawan Lertcheewakarn won in the final 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 against Kristina Mladenovic.Laura Robson was the defending champion, but lost in the third round to Quirine Lemoine.-Seeds:# Kristina Mladenovic # Laura Robson ...
before losing again to Mladenovic. Thanks to her superior summer on the junior circuit, Stephens reached a career high junior ranking of 5 in the world on August 10, 2009.
Seeded 4th at the junior US Open
2009 US Open - Girls' Singles
Coco Vandeweghe was the defending champion, but did not compete in the Juniors this year.Heather Watson won in the final 6–4, 6–1 against Yana Buchina.-Seeds:# Kristina Mladenovic # Noppawan Lertcheewakarn ...
, Stephens lost in three sets to 14th seed Jana Čepelová
Jana Čepelová
Jana Čepelová is a professional Slovak tennis player. Her highest WTA singles ranking is World No. 277, which she reached on 22 August 2011. Čepelová's best tennis achievement to date is by winning the girls doubles event at the 2010 Australian Open partnering Chantal Škamlová...
.
At the 2010 Junior Wimbledon Championship, Sloane made it to the quarterfinals of the singles and won the doubles title with Tímea Babos
Tímea Babos
Tímea Babos is a professional Hungarian tennis player. Her highest WTA singles ranking is 176, which she reached on 11 July 2011. Her career high in doubles is 175, which she achieved on 18 July 2011. To date, Babos has won nine singles and nine doubles professional tennis titles.Babos is a member...
, winning a tough three-setter in the final, 6–7 6–2 6–2.
Doubles: 4 finals (3 titles, 1 runner-up)
| Outcome | Year | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponent | Score |
| Runner-Up | 2008 | US Open | Hard |  Mallory BurdetteMallory Burdette Mallory Burdette is an American professional tennis player. She was born on January 28, 1991.-Career:Mallory Burdette competed at the 2011 US Open double tournament, where she received together with her partner Hilary Barte a wildcard. In the first round they beat Glatch/Hampton both from the... |
 Noppawan LertcheewakarnNoppawan Lertcheewakarn Noppawan Lertcheewakarn is a professional Thai tennis player. At the Wimbledon 2009, she won the junior singles title. As of 12 April 2010, Lertcheewakarn has a rank on the WTA singles tour of 150 and doubles tour of 97.-Playing style:...  Sandra RomaSandra Roma Sandra Roma is a tennis player from Sweden. She reached a career high ranking in juniors of 11 in September 2008. She along with Nikola Hofmanova reached the semi-final of 2007 Wimbledon Championships - Girls' Doubles.... |
6–0, 6–2 |
| Winner | 2010 2010 French Open The 2010 French Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts. It was the 109th edition of the French Open, and the second Grand Slam event of the year... |
French Open | Clay |  Tímea BabosTímea Babos Tímea Babos is a professional Hungarian tennis player. Her highest WTA singles ranking is 176, which she reached on 11 July 2011. Her career high in doubles is 175, which she achieved on 18 July 2011. To date, Babos has won nine singles and nine doubles professional tennis titles.Babos is a member... |
 Lara Arruabarrena-VecinoLara Arruabarrena-Vecino Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino is a professional Spanish tennis player. On April 4, 2011, she reached her highest WTA singles ranking of 253 while her best doubles ranking was 288 on April 4, 2011.- Junior Grand Slam doubles finals :... María-Teresa Torró-FlorMaría-Teresa Torró-Flor María-Teresa Torró-Flor is a professional Spanish tennis player. On October 4, 2010, she reached her highest WTA singles ranking of 242 whilst her best doubles ranking was 423 on November 1, 2010.- Junior Grand Slam doubles finals :... |
6–2, 6–3 |
| Winner | 2010 2010 Wimbledon Championships The 2010 Wimbledon Championships took place on the outdoor grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom. The tournament ran from Monday 21 June until Sunday 4 July 2010. It was the 124th staging of the Wimbledon Championships, and the third Grand... |
Wimbledon Championships | Grass | Tímea Babos Tímea Babos Tímea Babos is a professional Hungarian tennis player. Her highest WTA singles ranking is 176, which she reached on 11 July 2011. Her career high in doubles is 175, which she achieved on 18 July 2011. To date, Babos has won nine singles and nine doubles professional tennis titles.Babos is a member... |
 Irina KhromachevaIrina Khromacheva Irina Khromacheva is a junior Russian tennis player. Her highest WTA singles ranking is 347th, which she reached on November 14, 2011. Her current singles ranking as of November 14, 2011, is 347th.- Personal life :...  Elina SvitolinaElina Svitolina Elina Svitolina is a junior Ukrainian tennis player. Her highest WTA singles ranking is 326, which she reached on October 03, 2011. Her career high in doubles is 397, achieved on May 9, 2011... |
6–7(7), 6–2, 6–2 |
| Winner | 2010 2010 US Open (tennis) The 2010 US Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts, held from August 30 to September 13, 2010 in the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center at Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York City, United States.... |
US Open | Hard | Tímea Babos Tímea Babos Tímea Babos is a professional Hungarian tennis player. Her highest WTA singles ranking is 176, which she reached on 11 July 2011. Her career high in doubles is 175, which she achieved on 18 July 2011. To date, Babos has won nine singles and nine doubles professional tennis titles.Babos is a member... |
 An-Sophie MestachAn-Sophie Mestach An-Sophie Mestach is a junior Belgian tennis player. Her highest WTA singles ranking is 408, which she reached on 4 April 2011...  Silvia NjirićSilvia Njirić Silvia Njirić is a junior Croatian tennis player. Having already played Fed Cup for Croatia, Njirić made semi-finals at the 2010 junior French Open, losing to Elina Svitolina of Ukraine.-ITF Circuit singles finals :... |
Walkover |
Pro Tour
Stephens played her first professional events on the ITFInternational Tennis Federation
The International Tennis Federation is the governing body of world tennis, made up of 205 national tennis associations.It was established as the International Lawn Tennis Federation by 12 national associations meeting at a conference in Paris, France on 1 March 1913...
Circuit in late 2007. In spring 2008, Stephens received a qualifying wild card into her first WTA
Women's Tennis Association
The Women's Tennis Association , founded in 1973 by Billie Jean King, is the principal organizing body of Women's Professional Tennis. It governs the WTA Tour which is the worldwide professional tennis tour for women. Its counterpart organization in the men's professional game is the Association of...
event, the Sony, but lost to Ekaterina Bychkova
Ekaterina Bychkova
Ekaterina Andreevna Bychkova is a professional tennis player. She is most famous for defeating defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the first round of the 2005 US Open. She defeated her by a score of 6–3, 6–2. It was the first time a defending US Open Champion had lost in the first round...
. During the summer, Stephens won a small ITF doubles tournament with partner Christina McHale
Christina McHale
Christina McHale is a professional American tennis player. Her highest WTA singles ranking is No. 45, and in doubles it is No. 171. McHale has beaten numerous top WTA tour players, including current world no...
. She received a wild card into the US Open qualifying rounds where she defeated seventh seeded Melinda Czink
Melinda Czink
Melinda Czink is a Hungarian professional female tennis player. On September 21, 2009 Czink reached her career-high singles ranking of World No. 37....
. Stephens then lost in straight sets to Stefanie Vögele.
In 2009, Stephens began the year playing several ITF tournaments with moderate success. She received another qualifying wild card into the Sony Ericsson Open
2009 Sony Ericsson Open
The 2009 Sony Ericsson Open was a men's and women's tennis tournament held from March 23 to April 5, 2009. It was the 25th edition of the Miami Masters event and was played on outdoor hard courts at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park in Key Biscayne, Florida, located near Miami...
, losing in the first round to Akgul Amanmuradova
Akgul Amanmuradova
Akgul Amanmuradova is a professional female tennis player from Uzbekistan.In 2005, she reached her first ever WTA singles final in Tashkent, the capital of her home country. In the final she lost to 16-year old Michaëlla Krajicek of the Netherlands...
. In the summer, Stephens received another qualifying wild card into a WTA
Women's Tennis Association
The Women's Tennis Association , founded in 1973 by Billie Jean King, is the principal organizing body of Women's Professional Tennis. It governs the WTA Tour which is the worldwide professional tennis tour for women. Its counterpart organization in the men's professional game is the Association of...
tournament: the LA Women's Tennis Championships
2009 LA Women's Tennis Championships
The 2009 LA Women's Tennis Championships was a tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts. It was the 36th edition of the LA Women's Tennis Championships, and was part of the Premier Series of the 2009 WTA Tour...
. There Stephens won her first WTA level match against Lenka Wienerová
Lenka Wienerová
Lenka Wienerová is a professional Slovak tennis player. Her highest WTA singles ranking is 128, which she reached on August 10, 2009. Her career high in doubles is 196, which she reached on May 2, 2011....
, but fell in the second round of qualifying to Anastasia Rodionova.
During the summer, Stephens played World Team Tennis
World Team Tennis
World TeamTennis is a coed professional tennis league played with a unique team format in the United States. Each match consists of five sets. Each set features a different configuration . Coaches, before the match, decide the order in which the sets will be played...
for the New York Buzz
New York Buzz
The New York Buzz was a professional tennis team competing in World Team Tennis. The team was based in Albany, New York, and played home matches at SUNY Albany's SEFCU Arena, previously playing at the Washington Avenue Armory. Earlier, the team played at Schenectady's Central Park. They competed in...
. Stephens' last professional tournament of the 2009 season was at the US Open
2009 US Open (tennis)
The 2009 US Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts, held from August 31 to September 14, 2009 in the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center at Flushing Meadows, New York City, United States. Originally, it was scheduled to end with the mens' singles final match on Sunday,...
, where she received a qualifying wild card for the second year in a row. Stephens lost in the first round of qualifying. In October, Stephens turned professional when she signed with BEST.
Stephens successfully qualified for the 2010 BNP Paribas Open
2010 BNP Paribas Open
The 2010 BNP Paribas Open was a tennis tournament played at Indian Wells, California in March 2010. It was the 36th edition of the event, known this year as the BNP Paribas Open, and is classified as an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event on the 2010 ATP World Tour and a Premier Mandatory event on...
, where she defeated Lucie Hradecká
Lucie Hradecká
Lucie Hradecká is a professional tennis player from the Czech Republic. In her career, Hradecká has won ten WTA doubles titles. This total includes the 2011 French Open, in which she won her first Grand Slam title.-Career:...
7–6 (6), 7–6 (7) in the first round. She then lost against the defending champion, 12th-seeded Vera Zvonareva
Vera Zvonareva
Vera Zvonareva is a professional tennis player from Russia. She was introduced to tennis at the age of six and turned professional in 2000. Her career high is World No. 2 by the WTA, and she is currently ranked as the World No. 7. Zvonarёva has won twelve WTA Tour singles titles and reached the...
6–4, 7–5.
Stephens made another run at the 2011 BNP Paribas Open
2011 BNP Paribas Open
The 2011 BNP Paribas Open was a tennis tournament played at Indian Wells, California in March 2011. It was the 36th edition of the event, known as the BNP Paribas Open, and was classified as an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event on the 2011 ATP World Tour and a Premier Mandatory event on the 2011...
where she defeated fellow American Jamie Hampton
Jamie Hampton
Jamie Lee Hampton is a professional American tennis player playing in the ITF Women's Circuit. On April 4, 2011, she reached her highest WTA singles ranking of World No. 116. Hampton lived in Enterprise, Alabama until she was 13, when she moved to Auburn, Alabama...
in the first round to advance to the second round, where she lost to world no.1, and eventual champion, Caroline Wozniacki
Caroline Wozniacki
Caroline Wozniacki is a Danish professional tennis player. She is the current world no. 1 on the WTA Tour. As of 7 November 2011, she has held this position for 56 weeks...
. The next week, as a wild card entry, she won both matches at the qualifying stage of the 2011 Sony Ericsson Open
2011 Sony Ericsson Open
The 2011 Sony Ericsson Open , a men's and women's tennis tournament, was held from March 21 to April 3, 2011. It was the 27th edition of the Miami Masters event and played on outdoor hard courts at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park in Miami...
to qualify for a spot in the main draw.
In May of 2011 Stephens won the $50,000 2011 Camparini Gioielli Cup
2011 Camparini Gioielli Cup – Trofeo Pompea
The 2011 Camparini Gioielli Cup – Trofeo Pompea is a professional tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts. It is part of the 2011 ITF Women's Circuit...
. It was her first tournament win on the ITF circuit. Stephens then participated in the qualifying draw of the French Open
2011 French Open
The 2011 French Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts. It was the 110th edition of the French Open, and the second Grand Slam event of the year...
as the 21st seed. She beat Anastasia Pivovarova
Anastasia Pivovarova
Anastasia Olegovna Pivovarova is a professional tennis player from Russia.Pivovarova was born in Moscow, Russia and is a right-handed player. She reached a career high of 115 in July 2010. During a successful junior career Pivovarova was ranked as high as number 2.- Biography :Anastasia Pivovarova...
in the qualifying competition to qualify for the main draw event. She lost to Elena Baltacha
Elena Baltacha
Elena Baltacha is a British professional tennis player of Ukrainian background. Being a four-time winner of the AEGON Award, she is also the long standing British number 1, a position she has held intermittently since 2002. As of 24 November 2011 she holds a current world ranking of No. 50. Her...
in the first round.
At the 2011 Wimbledon Championships
2011 Wimbledon Championships
The 2011 Wimbledon Championships took place at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, England, from 20 June to 3 July 2011. It was the 125th edition of the championships, and the third Grand Slam tournament of the year. It was played on grass courts and was part of the...
Stephens was the 12th seed in qualifying. She lost in the second round to Nina Bratchikova
Nina Bratchikova
Nina Bratchikova |Zhukovskiy]], Russia) is a professional Russian tennis player playing in the ITF Women's Circuit. On 24 May 2010, she reached her highest WTA singles ranking of 133. Her current singles ranking is 147 as of 13 November 2010...
. Following her improved performance at Wimbledon, she reached a career-high ranking of World No. 125 on July 4, 2011.
Stephens was given a wild card in San Diego
2011 Mercury Insurance Open
The 2011 Mercury Insurance Open is a tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts. It is the 2nd edition of the Southern California Open since the tournament left the tour in 2007. It is classified as one of the WTA Premier tournaments of the 2011 WTA Tour...
, Stephens made her first WTA quarterfinals debut where she defeated Julia Gorges
Julia Görges
Julia Görges is a professional tennis player from Germany. Görges reached career-high WTA singles ranking of No. 16 on 6 June 2011 and a doubles ranking of 31 on 6 June 2011...
en route. However, she lost to Andrea Petkovic
Andrea Petkovic
Andrea Petkovic is a professional German tennis player of Serbian origin. She is the highest ranked German tennis player. She lives in Griesheim near Darmstadt, Germany....
in the quarterfinals. She then lost in the first round of Cincinnati
2011 Western & Southern Open
The 2011 Cincinnati Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, near Cincinnati, United States. The tournament was a joint men's and women's event, with six new courts being built for the tournament...
and the final qualifying round of New Haven
2011 New Haven Open at Yale
The 2011 New Haven Open at Yale was a tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts. It was the 43rd edition of the New Haven Open at Yale, and was part of the of the Premier Series of the 2011 WTA Tour. It was previously known as "Pilot Pen Tennis". It took place at the Cullman-Heyman Tennis...
.
Being granted a wildcard at the US Open
2011 US Open (tennis)
The 2011 US Open was a tennis tournament played on the outdoor hard courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Park, of Queens, New York City, United States...
, she won her first main draw grandslam match by beating Réka-Luca Jani
Réka-Luca Jani
Réka-Luca Jani is a professional Hungarian tennis player and member of the Hungary Fed Cup team. On November 30, 2009, she reached her highest WTA singles ranking of 253 whilst her best doubles ranking was 294 on November 30, 2009....
6–2, 3–6, 7–6(3) in the first round. She backed up this win by beating 23rd seed Shahar Pe'er
Shahar Pe'er
Shahar Pe'er is an Israeli professional tennis player. Her career-high singles ranking is World No. 11, which she achieved on January 31, 2011 ....
6–1, 7–6(4) in the second round. She is set to face former world no. 1 Ana Ivanovic
Ana Ivanovic
Ana Ivanović is a former world no. 1 Serbian tennis player. As of November 7, 2011, she is ranked 22th on the WTA rankings. She beat Dinara Safina to win the 2008 French Open and was the runner-up in singles at the 2007 French Open and the 2008 Australian Open...
next.