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‘Not That Many Women of Color’- Sloane Stephens Says African American Women Such as Herself and Serena Williams Had a Hard Time Finding Their Voice in the Tennis Sport

Published Dec 16, 2022 | 11:53 AM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

Sloane Stephens, the American tennis player recently shared her views about a remarkable achievement by women of color in tennis. Stephens had a respectable 2022 season, winning 18 of 35 games. Despite their abilities and prestige, African American tennis players are not immune to the sport’s elitist history. She claimed Serena Williams was the inspirational idol to revolutionize women in tennis.

She followed in the footsteps of her legendary fellow tennis players, Venus and Serena Williams. According to Stephens, it is impossible to advance as a woman, particularly a woman of color, without destroying constraints. Stephens is expected to receive a lot more attention in the coming years, owing to her youth, athletic prowess, and mental toughness.

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Stephens shares that players like her and Serena Williams face a tough time on the court

In an exclusive interview, Sloane Stephens talked about African American tennis players and their constraints in tennis.

She said,” I was young, obviously playing at the same time as Venus and Serena. In my sport, there are not that many women of color. So being in a sport that has five African-American women playing in the top hundred or whatever it is like it’s always really challenging to find that right moment, that voice.” She is the only American younger than Serena Williams to beat the 23-time Grand Slam Champion. Stephens had won 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 against Williams in the 2013 Australian Open quarterfinals.”

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Stephens shared that it has been challenging, for all five African American players. She also stated that who one surrounds themselves with is extremely important.

READ MORE- Nearly Two Decades After ‘Yahoo’ Humiliation, Serena Williams’ Husband Gets Real on ‘Investor’ Behavior – ‘Haters Are the Ones I Feast..’

She further added,”  And everyone is like from the coaches to the parents to the family members, the boyfriend, like, everyone needs to be on the same page for you to be successful.”

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Williams once used her celebrity status to be a voice for women of color

Serena Williams hopes that her celebrity fame will have a positive impact. Amid the Black Lives Matter movement, the then-39-year-old tennis pro discussed her hopes for inspiring women and people of color. In 2020, Williams chimed that tennis is a minor sport in the grand scheme of things.

WATCH THIS STORY –  ‘Lucky Man’ Alexis Ohanian Vows To ‘Get Better’ As Wife Serena Williams Takes a Trip Down the Memory Lane – ‘So Romantic..’

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She went on to say that in this society, women are not taught or expected to be future leaders or CEOs. Williams wished for a shift in the narrative. She mentioned that someone in her position can demonstrate this to women and people of color. Let us know what you think about Williams and her inspiring legacy in your comments below.

 

Written by:

Dr Aditya Raveendran Menon

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Aditya Menon is a Tennis Author at EssentiallySports. A dentist by profession, he developed an unbridled love for tennis from the moment his father introduced him to the sport. Watching Roger Federer dominate the ATP tour with his unique and effortless style played a pivotal role in pushing Aditya to write about tennis for national publications.
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