The decorated athlete on family, self-care, and life lessons.
For 31-year-old tennis star Sloane Stephens, family means everything. In fact, the U.S. Open champion attributes much of her success to them — and her mother’s advice.
“My mom is a competitor in her own right and always wants me to do my best, but most of all she has a very positive attitude,” Stephens says. “She always says ‘onward’ and is thinking about the next point, next match, next situation where I can improve.”
It helps that her mom and husband know a thing or two about sports. Her mom, Sybil Smith, was an All-American swimmer at Boston University. Her husband is professional soccer player Jozy Altidore.
“I have an incredibly supportive family, and they were there for me every step of the way from juniors, to the biggest stages I compete on now,” she says. “My mom went to the French Open as a fan a few years before I was born and she fell in love with the game, so my love of clay [court tennis] feels written in the stars.”
It’s also no wonder that Stephens, who went pro in 2009, loves playing in France’s capital. “Red clay is my favorite surface, so I always look forward to the European clay court season, which culminates at Roland Garros,” she says. “I love Paris and enjoy my time shopping and strolling down the Champs-Élysées on my off days.”
Still, there’s something special about a win on your home turf, says Stephens. “I appreciate each of my tournament wins because they all meant so much and were a result of unique circumstances of whatever time they were from, but I'd say my 2017 U.S. Open Championship is definitely at the top,” she says. “As an American, it was incredibly special to capture my first Grand Slam at home in front of my family and friends.” (Funny enough, her trophy collection was kept at her grandparents’ place in Fresno — not her own home — until recently.)
Typically, Stephens’ exercise and recovery routine depends on whether she’s in a tournament or a training block. “My ‘workouts’ during tournaments are the actual matches, so most of my team’s focus outside of the matches is on recovery, and we utilize tools like massage therapy, cupping, gua sha, dry needling, and compression boots,” she explains.
Between training, tournaments, and recovery sessions, Stephens still finds the time to unwind from the stress of being a well-known athlete. “Tennis as a sport, and being in the public eye, requires a lot of mental energy — it’s just you out there and everyone is looking at you, so I find that taking care of my mental health is just as important as how I take care of my body,” she says. “I'm a huge advocate for regular therapy and identifying the tools that help ground you. For me, that is a self-care regimen every day.”
I find that taking care of my mental health is just as important as how I take care of my body.
She also taps into her playful side, rallying on the court with her husband. “We love a bit of healthy competition in our house,” she says. “Jozy and my family make it out to the practice court when I'm home, and they like to think they can keep up. I have some evidence of their attempts on my Instagram. Soccer players also have great footwork, so Jozy can definitely move around the court well.”
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While Stephens’ accolades (including a bachelor’s degree and MBA) are already impressive, she’s ready to branch out and get even more projects under her belt. “I have a lot of exciting ventures coming up that I can’t wait to share,” Stephens adds. “I’m entering some new spaces for me, so keep your eyes peeled.” In the meantime, though, she’ll stick close to her familial unit.
Photos Courtesy of Sloane Stephens