Plantation, Florida resident, and Caribbean-American, Sloane Stephens, 24, created a major upset in the US Open tennis tournament in New York City on Thursday evening. Stephens bounced back from the jaws of defeat, 0 -6 in the second set, to defeat US women tennis icon and her inspiration Venus Williams in the tournament’s semi-finals.
She now fulfills her dream to be playing the finals of a major grand-slam tournament.
As a young girl, Stephens spent a lot of time with her grandfather, who grew up poor in Trinidad before migrating to the US where he won a scholarship to Howard University and became a doctor. Stephens in reaching the finals of the US Open has reached her first Grand Slam final. Although she has made an impressive showing through the current US Open, she was not expected to defeat seven-time Grand Slam champion Williams.
Also defeated Serena Williams
Following a successful 2012 season in which she first reached the second week of a Grand Slam, she rose to prominence upon reaching the semifinals of the 2013 Australian Open. She drew the attention of the tennis world when she defeated Venus’ sister Serena Williams. Since then, she has reached a career-high singles ranking of 11 in the world and claimed her first WTA title at the 2015 Citi Open.
Recovered from foot injury
Stephens, who sat out 11 months with a left foot stress fracture until this year’s Wimbledon, captured a 6-1, 0-6, 7-5 win in a 2-hour, 7-minute semifinal victory over Williams on Thursday night.
She’ll now face 15th seed Madison Keys in an all-American final.
“I have no words to describe what it took, what I’m feeling, the journey I took to get here,” said the 24-year-old Stephens, who wiped away a few tears after the match. “I have no idea (how I got here). Your guess is just as good as mine.”
