Former U.S. Open Champion Sloane Stephens Wins First WTA Title Since 2022

American tennis star Sloane Stephens celebrates winning the Open de Rouen title in 2024.
American tennis star Sloane Stephens celebrates winning the Open de Rouen title in 2024. / Tennis Channel/Screengrab

American tennis star Sloane Stephens won her first WTA title since the 2022 season on Sunday at the Open de Rouen in France.

Stephens, whose stardom rose when she won the 2017 U.S. Open title, beat Poland's Magda Linette in three sets, 6–1, 2–6, 6–2, in just two hours and 10 minutes during the final on Sunday.

The last tournament Stephens brought home a winner's trophy from was Mexico's Abierto Akron Zapopan in Feb. 2022. The Open de Rouen win is her fifth WTA 250 title, but the eighth professional tennis title in her career. At 31 years old, Stephens made her mark back in the winner's circle. Sunday's win also was her first title victory on clay since 2016's Volvo Car Open in Charleston, S.C.

Stephens showed off a huge smile after shaking hands with her opponent. It was clear to see how happy she was to add another title to her list of tennis achievements.

Stephens will likely play in a couple tournaments before competing in the 2024 French Open, which begins May 20 in Paris.


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Madison Williams
MADISON WILLIAMS

Madison Williams is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where she specializes in tennis but covers a wide range of sports from a national perspective. Before joining SI in 2022, Williams worked at The Sporting News. Having graduated from Augustana College, she completed a master’s in sports media at Northwestern University. She is a dog mom and an avid reader.