The final Grand Slam of the year is here—the US Open! Kicking off August 24 with the mixed doubles and building to its electric finale, the tournament promises drama on the court and excitement off it. Behind the scenes, ESPN is shaking things up with fresh faces joining its player interview crew, standing alongside legends like Chris Evert and John McEnroe. And this year, a major new name is stepping into the spotlight.

Sloane Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion and former world No. 3, is making waves at the 2025 US Open in a new role as an ESPN broadcaster. Linda Schulz, ESPN’s vice president of production, and Brett Jackson, coordinating producer, are leading the company’s tennis coverage. They introduced fresh changes this year, including quick end-of-set interviews to capture the match’s vibe. These interviews are conducted by none other than Stephens and former men’s world No. 11 Sam Querrey!

Sloane shared her excitement on social media, rocking a stunning off-white dress and sporting a headset. She captured the moment perfectly, captioning her post, “First day, first fit. ESPN, let’s do this.” After a decorated career with eight WTA singles titles and years in the top 40, Sloane has smoothly transitioned to this exciting new chapter.

“In partnership with the USTA and the players, this is great access and something that we have been looking forward to for many years,” Schulz explained during an interview. To keep the flow of the game, these end-of-set interviews will stick to just one or two questions. ESPN is easing into this new format during the first two rounds to help everyone—from players and officials to broadcast teams—get comfortable and synced up, Schulz added.

Though Sloane Stephens isn’t competing in the main singles draw this year, her presence brings extra star power and insight to the event. This isn’t the Americans’ first off-court gig either! She worked as a Tennis Channel analyst back in 2017 during her recovery from foot surgery! Now with ESPN, she’ll be back in the spotlight, even if it’s not one she’s used to.

The 2025 season has thrown some curveballs at Stephens. She’s hit four tournaments but hasn’t clinched a win yet, standing at 2-3 for the year. And despite taking a step back from her tennis journey, she’s optimistic about her move!

Sloane Stephens opens up about her tennis career

After her early exit from the Australian Open, she got real on social media: “Still here, still living the dream—grateful to still be playing on the world’s biggest stages, in front of my family, best friends, and fans. It will never get old. Thank you for supporting me through it all ❤️ @AustralianOpen.” Even after bowing out of Indian Wells, she trusts the “universe” to guide her path.

Stephens hasn’t won a singles match since June 2024 at Wimbledon’s first round. On the ‘She’s So Lucky’ podcast, she described tennis as “a… it’s a very emotional roller coaster.” She added, “As a pro, I’ve always just been like, focus on controlling the controllables on the court. Figuring out the three things that I really need to do that day, and like focus on that.”

With 15 years under her belt, Sloane Stephens says she’s never been “too high or too low.” She taps into what fuels her competitive fire, saying, “Things haven’t happened in, like, the perfect way or like the way I planned, but I’m like, ‘Oh, this is happening now, like, alright, let’s ride the wave.’” She also said, “I firmly believe that if you are not rowing in that direction, you have to get off the boat now.” Retirement rumors swirl, but she hasn’t confirmed a thing.

If she does step away, Stephens wants to leave “with grace.” “I want to leave the game better than just a player. Tennis has given me so much opportunity in my life, and in return my true belief is that I owe it to myself and the game to help others achieve dreams bigger than mine,” she said earlier this year. Now, she’s trying on a new role, possibly the fresh start she needs. What do you think? We’d love to hear thoughts in the comments below!