‘Tennis wore me out’ – Sloane Stephens deftly ignores Serena Williams as she reflects on dominant win over her

When it comes to honoring timeless WTA legends, one of the first things that comes to mind is the on-court rivalry between Sloane Stephens and Serena Williams. While Serena has retired from the tennis scene for good, she finds herself removed from Stephens’ recent verdict.

True fans will surely remember the 2013 Australian Open quarter-final match between Serena Williams and Sloane Stephens. Although Stephens has been asked about the game recently, she seems to be focused solely on herself.

Sloane Stephens ignores Serena Williams in recounting iconic 2013 Australian Open match

In a recent interview, tennis star Sloane Stephens recalled her 2013 Australian Open quarterfinal win over Serena Williams. While everyone expected a routine ruling that might include comparisons between the two stars, Stephens seemed more focused on his own journey than acknowledging his opponent’s contribution to the game.

“Man, before tennis took my life, I was so cute and young, oh my god,” Stephens said, recalling his youth. “It’s like a time when everything was easy, you know?” Although Stephens has a history of beating Serena Williams, his comments made no mention of the tennis legend, which amounted to a snub to her.

Stephens’ apparent self-obsession in the interview has fans wondering whether she’s more concerned with personal nostalgia than her respect for Serena Williams. Since Stephens remains a part of the sport, his verdict adds a different perspective in the minds of fans.

The long-standing rivalry on the tennis court

This isn’t the first time Sloane Stephens and Serena Williams have faced off. Since their on-field rivalry has been around for so long, fans have witnessed several similar moments. While Serena has always kept her cool with her opponents, she did the same with Stephens.

Back in 2020, when their rivalry was at its peak, Serena mentioned that Stephens had always been a difficult opponent. “She’s a great competitor” she says. Beyond that, she acknowledged the strength of her opponent, adding: “She’s a great player. You can’t win a Grand Slam if you’re not really, really, really, really, really good.” This difference between the two tennis stars signifies the two different approaches tennis players can use even in competitive moments.

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