Picture it. Sloane Stephens is immersed in her moment, comfortably sitting at match point on one of the biggest stages in sports: The 2017 US Open.
After her 15th ranked opponent, Madison Keys’ forehand falls short, Stephens’ fate is secured. She’s emerged from the ashes of injury and pushed past the odds to claim the US Open trophy. Only the fifth unseeded female to accomplish this feat, she pauses briefly to let reality sink in before approaching Keys at the net for an embrace. The world witnesses the perfect ending to an imperfect story, and Stephens is cemented on the tennis totem pole as one of the greats. Her victory was a sports fan’s fantasy and a tennis player’s dream, but for Stephens this speckle in time although divine, does not fully define her impact on tennis and her existence beyond the sport.
Over the years, Sloane Stephens has curated a life including tennis but not enveloped by tennis, and there’s a big difference between the two.
From sports commentating and philanthropy to business dealings and bingo games with family and friends, Stephens says her identity is not solely encompassed in tennis glory.
“As tennis players, we often attach our value to whatever our ranking is, whatever our results are and how well we’re doing…As a tennis player, I’ve always done other stuff in my life that I’m interested in and used tennis as a vehicle.”
With several tennis titles in tow and an outlook far beyond the court, grass or clay, Stephens consistently sets her sights on service. For several years, she’s fostered the development of underserved youth through the Sloane Stephens Foundation. Through this effort, and with the support of select family members who fill roles in the organization, Stephens not only creates space for local youth to improve their athletic skills, she also offers them support in the arenas of education and mental wellness. Elevating the lives of young people may not result in sterling silver hardware or medals, but Stephens believes the value it holds is priceless.
“The work that you do, it can go unnoticed forever, but that’s ok, because as long as you’re doing good work, and you’re helping others and serving your community, I don’t think there’s anything better or bigger that you could be doing. That’s very rewarding for all of us,” she says.
While unpacking Stephens’ heavy suitcase of obligations and opportunities, one may assume prioritization poses a challenge for her. But the tennis great offers a different perspective, likening balance to a mirage and stressing that checking boxes within reasonable timelines is the goal.
She says, “I feel like balance doesn’t even exist, you just try your hardest to make everything work. I think in life, your balance is probably how good you feel that day, or how good you feel about accomplishing something and getting a task done.”
For years, Stephens has taken on the task of pushing for players in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) to be adequately supported in their journeys to and through motherhood. Having undergone two rounds of egg freezing in recent years, she believes every member of the WTA should have access to fertility options and experience motherhood without competitive penalty.
“We should all have an opportunity to family plan and start families when we want to on our time. For me it was really important to make sure players had those opportunities,” Stephens says.
Stephens acknowledges conversations about egg freezing were commonplace in her childhood, citing her aunt who became a mother through the process as a prime reason. But she also stresses many players in the WTA may not have been privy to constructive conversations about fertility, and she’s become a leader in opening up those lines of communication.
Her efforts to advocate for the next generation of WTA players has been instrumental in the implementation of the WTA Protected Ranking policy, which allows players the opportunity to take time off tour to undergo fertility procedures without losing their ranking position. Stephens stresses the ordinance will promote fertility awareness and options for the next generation of WTA athletes and beyond.
“The younger girls will learn about this so much earlier. It will already be imbedded in them, so they know they’ll have that support. I think that (the policy) will change a lot of lives in women’s tennis and women’s sports in general,” she says.
Stephens’ quest to empower, encourage and expose WTA players to fertility options and protections only scratches the surface of her impact. Entrepreneurship in sports, wellness and entertainment spaces also anchor her influence outside of tennis. Some people are bitten by the business bug, but for Stephens, being her own boss has always been in her blood.
Reflecting on how her ownership roots run deep, Stephens says, “I’ve been around a lot of businesses and people who own incredible businesses. My mom owned a business, and we had a family business that was incredibly special to all of us. We owned funeral homes…and one day I was like, I’ll own my own business, and I’ll be my own boss one day.’”
Early on, Stephens’ “one day” meant her retirement era, but as life would have it, ownership seeped in well before then, and her award-winning Doc & Glo self-care brand was birthed. With a name chosen to honor her love for her grandparents, Stephens has grown Doc & Glo into a beauty powerhouse. Doc & Glo offers consumers vegan and cruelty-free products for their hair and skin, and it also gives them a chance to embrace their confidence and capacity for self-love. In light of the immense success Doc & Glo continues to experience, Stephens says her self-funded business presents a huge learning curve and a prime opportunity for growth.
“Entrepreneurship is not for the weak…it’s incredibly frustrating, but it’s so rewarding…I came into the beauty space with no real-world experience,” Stephens explains. “I never had another job other than tennis and running my foundation. So, figuring out logistics, shipping, packaging, bottles and tariffs has been such a task, but it’s also been so rewarding.”
For the tennis star, taking risks on and off the court has reaped incredible rewards, and the momentum of the success of Doc & Glo has helped in pushing her into the business of sports and entertainment. She’s become an investor in Project B, a new global women’s basketball league set to launch in November. With other notable investors on board like, basketball “Hall of Famer,” Candace Parker and WNBA star, Alana Beard, Stephens will play a huge role in providing female basketball players with an additional avenue for visibility and financial freedom.
“I’m always encouraging girls to have the best, I want them to have the opportunities, I want them to make more money. Project B raises the level in sports, so that means other businesses and companies will raise their level, and in turn women’s sports wins, and that’s the goal. I invested in Project B, because I know the power of the sporting world, and I know how women’s sports are impacted right now…. This (Project B) is how we’re going to build and how we’re going to set the tone,” Stephens says.
In fine Sloane Stephens fashion, she continues to keep athletes and fans in mind. In addition to investing in Project B, she’s co-founded Ballers, a sports and entertainment startup producing high-end indoor sports venues. Sports enthusiasts can take to the putting green or pickle ball court, while also enjoying a top tier culinary and bar experience.
With triumphs on the tennis court and an abundance of successful business ventures, Stephens has morphed into epitome of athletic prowess, service, stewardship and steadfastness. Her versatility proves she was destined for more than the sport she’s mastered, and she understands the vastness of her journey means others can aspire to the same. “I want people to look at me and say, there’s so much opportunity, there’s so many open doors, there’s so many places that tennis can take you and that life can take you…I hope especially women of color start to see that more,” she says.
While Stephens invites onlookers to explore their own greatness by watching hers in real time, she’s back from injury and fully locked into the sport that’s brought her an immense amount of gratification and great runs. She’s putting her powerful forehand and defensive dominance back to work, most recently in the Australian Open Qualifying.
Whether she’s leaving her opponents frazzled on the tour, spearheading fruitful businesses, serving the youth or simply completing her bingo card first, one thing holds true: Sloane Stephens does not see a ceiling, only latitude for greatness and space to bring others along for the ride.