We knew that the winner of the 2017 U.S. Open women’s tourney would be an American, and we knew she would be black. Now we know her name: It’s 24-year-old Sloane Stephens.
Stephens, who, up until a few weeks ago, was unseeded, won her first major title Saturday, besting Madison Keys at center court with a decisive 6-3, 6-0 win. The 22-year-old Keys was ranked at No. 15.
The New York Times reports that Saturday’s match was the first grand-slam singles final for both women, and that they have been friends since their junior days, even competing together on the U.S. Olympics teams.
On her way to the final, Stephens won over veteran tennis player Venus Williams on Thursday in a nail-biting semifinals showdown, winning 6-1, 0-6, 7-5.
Though Serena Williams reportedly tagged Keys as a future No. 1, Stephens emerged as the best competitor this time around—her win all the more remarkable because she had foot surgery this year and only returned to the court in July.
Check out Sloaney when she copped her $3.7 million pay day:
Whatever the future of women’s tennis holds, it looks like a black girl will be at the fore.
What did Maria Sharapova call it? Oh yeah, unstoppable.
Read more at the New York Times.