‘Music Playing at the Changeovers’- Sloane Stephens Says Tennis Has Allowed Fans to Do Things That Weren’t Allowed in the Sport Before

Sloane Stephens reached the highest point of her career when she secured the 2017 US Open. However, not much after that, Stephens’ game plateaued. She fell out of the top 20 and struggled with several injuries. Making a comeback in the ongoing Grand Slam, she looks strong. Recently the American booked her spot in the last eight of the tournament and spoke about the effect crowds’ comment has on a player during and after a match.

Sloane Stephens turned pro in the year 2009. Thereafter, in 2013, she claimed the headlines by beating the 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams in the semifinals of the Australian Open.

Sloane Stephens weighs in

When asked if tennis should take measures to crack down on unnecessary comments from the crowd, Stephens said, “I mean, it’s not new, but it’s definitely something that you get used to. People screaming out weird stuff and things happening. I don’t know what can be done to stop them.”

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I mean, I think tennis has gone from a very polite and etiquette-friendly sport to, you know, we have music playing at the changeovers and we have kind of lifted a lot of the traditional rules and balances that tennis had before. So I think that gives people the opportunity to be noisier and scream more and do a lot of different things that wasn’t really allowed before. I don’t know. I don’t have a solution for how you stop that.”

Earlier this year, Naomi Osaka was brought to tears by a heckler in a sordid incident during the second round of Indian Wells. The Japanese star suffered a great deal of trauma due to the same.

Who is Stephen’s next opponent?

The 2018 French Open runner-up on Sunday defeated the Swiss tennis professional Jil Teichmann in straight sets of 6-2, 6-0 to secure a position in the quarterfinals.

Stephens is about to face the 18-year-old right-handed tennis ace Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals. The teenager is one of the most prominent next generation player as she is the youngest in the top 100 of WTA. However, the head-to-head favors the 29-year-old. Stephens has a lead of 1-0 in head-to-head scores. Though this will be their first clash in clay.

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We will have to wait and see if the former World no.3 will extend her record against Gauff in the quarterfinals of the French Open.