Could’ve Quit Many Times’ – Sloane Stephens Admits to ‘Actual Tears’ Over Madrid Open Return
Sloane Stephens is again on the court docket once more, and it was an sudden detour that fueled her emotional return. After accidents derailed his profession previously eight years, the previous US Open champion had been working within the broadcast sales space. But now, grinding her approach again up the rankings, she is attempting to reclaim her spot in the primary draw of the Mutua Madrid Open. After her victory towards Diane Parry yesterday, she shared a easy textual content message that left her “boo hooing like a baby.”
Why Sloane Stephens Left the Broadcast Booth for a Madrid Open Return
While consuming lunch earlier than her opening match this week, Stephens obtained a textual content from a pal. The message stated: “Last year, you interviewed me on [Tennis Channel] during Madrid and a whole year later you get to play here again! Have fun out there today!!”
Stephens shared on social media that she was “crying over this message…actual tears, boo hooing like a baby.”She admitted that the journey again to the court docket was extremely onerous. “Full circle moments will get you every time. Could’ve quit so many times… but we’re still here.”
In 2017, Stephens surprised the tennis world by successful the US Open simply weeks after getting back from a foot surgical procedure. She adopted it up by reaching the 2018 French Open ultimate and hitting a career-high rating of world No. 3.
After 2018, it was the period of wrestle. Stephens was hampered by accidents and training adjustments, main to many early-round losses and inflicting his rating and confidence to drop considerably.
Stephens beforehand labored for the Tennis Channel throughout her 2017 harm layoff. In 2025, she served as a discipline reporter and commentator for TNT Sports through the French Open, whereas nonetheless showing as a visitor analyst and commentator for Tennis Channel on quite a few events, and sitting on the sidelines and interviewing her friends whereas they competed for the precise prestigious titles she used to win whereas nonetheless an lively participant was a humbling expertise. However, the brand new position solely prompted her to return to the court docket.
Last June, she wrote about her aspect gig on an Instagram post:
“Full transparency: I walked into this job with zero expectations. I’ve done TV before, but not like this. Long days, late nights, and no idea what I had just signed up for. I knew I’d get to try a bunch of different things and see what stuck, but I didn’t expect it to change me the way it did.”
“Yes, I did the interviews. Yes, I did the desk. But I also learned so much about myself. From the jump, I said if I’m doing this, I’m doing it all the way. I was gonna bring the looks, bring the energy, be a team player, speak on what I know and most importantly, just be me.”
Her final title was on the 2024 Open de Rouen in France, and inconsistent outcomes and mounting accidents compelled a pause in her singles marketing campaign. In 2026, she resumed her coaching and commenced her qualifying marketing campaign on the Madrid Open, defeating Parry 6-2, 6-4 within the first spherical.
Next up, within the ultimate qualifier spherical as we speak, the American will face Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina.
