Sloane Stephens is back on the court again, and it was an unexpected detour that fueled her emotional return. After injuries derailed her career in the past eight years, the former US Open champion had been working in the broadcast booth. But now, grinding her way back up the rankings, she is trying to reclaim her spot in the main draw of the Mutua Madrid Open. After her victory against Diane Parry yesterday, she shared a simple text message that left her “boo hooing like a baby.”
Why Sloane Stephens Left the Broadcast Booth for a Madrid Open Return
While eating lunch before her opening match this week, Stephens received a text from a friend. The message said: “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 back to the court was incredibly hard. “Full circle moments will get you every time. Could’ve quit so many times… but we’re still here.”
In 2017, Stephens stunned the tennis world by winning the US Open just weeks after returning from a foot surgery. She followed it up by reaching the 2018 French Open final and hitting a career-high ranking of world No. 3.
After 2018, it was the era of struggle. Stephens was hampered by injuries and coaching changes, leading to many early-round losses and causing her ranking and confidence to drop significantly.
Stephens previously worked for the Tennis Channel during her 2017 injury layoff. In 2025, she served as a field reporter and commentator for TNT Sports during the French Open, while still appearing as a guest analyst and commentator for Tennis Channel on numerous occasions, and sitting on the sidelines and interviewing her peers while they competed for the exact prestigious titles she used to win while still an active player was a humbling experience. However, the new role only prompted her to return to the court.
Last June, she wrote about her side 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 last title was at the 2024 Open de Rouen in France, and inconsistent results and mounting injuries forced a pause in her singles campaign. In 2026, she resumed her training and began her qualifying campaign at the Madrid Open, defeating Parry 6-2, 6-4 in the first round.
Next up, in the final qualifier round today, the American will face Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina.
