Has Sloane Stephens retired? For fans of the women’s tour, it’s a question that has lingered. At 32, ranked outside the top 900, and absent from professional competition since March, all signs suggested her days on court were behind her. These days, she’s often seen at tournaments working with media outlets. Yet, last month, news broke that the American star would swing her racket once more at the WTA event in Guadalajara, a city where she once reigned. The stage was set for a thrilling return, but not every comeback story ends as planned, as her return was halted in a sudden twist during the Guadalajara thriller.

Sloane Stephens made her long-awaited return at the Guadalajara WTA 500, facing off against Lucrezia Stefanini in a highly anticipated clash. But just as the match was gaining momentum, nature intervened, and light rain began to fall, forcing officials to pause play and dry the lines. The court conditions delayed the final singles match of the day, leaving fans and players in suspense as the American superstar walked off the court, the tension of the comeback moment hanging in the air.

In a recent update, it was confirmed that play has been cancelled for the day in Guadalajara. As shared in a post on X, “Match suspended due to rain at WTA 500 GDL OPEN. The match between Sloane Stephens and Lucrezia Stefanini will continue tomorrow in Guadalajara [Translated from Spanish].” Stephens’ return story remains alive, now poised to resume with fresh energy when the court is ready.

Sloane Stephens is navigating one of the toughest stretches of her career, entering Guadalajara on a 10-match losing streak. Her six-month break, during which she was often seen in the commentary booth, even at Roland Garros, may help her mentally reset, but it also left her rusty, something already reflected in her on-court play.

In her first meeting with Lucrezia Stefanini, the match remains finely balanced. After dropping the opening set 6-3, the American fought back to lead 5-3 in the second before rain suspended play.

As Stephens works to rebuild her rhythm on the professional circuit, she has also spoken openly about the harsh truth behind the Grand Slam headlines, admitting the emotional and mental weight the sport can place on players.

Sloane Stephens exposes the harsh reality behind the Grand Slam

In 2017, Sloane Stephens reached the pinnacle of tennis glory. After spending nearly a year on the sidelines with foot surgery, she made a miraculous comeback just two months before the US Open. Ranked No. 957 at the time, she stormed through the draw and dismantled Madison Keys 6–3, 6–0 in a 61-minute final to claim her maiden Grand Slam title. It was a storybook ending, the kind that defines careers. But instead of launching her into a new era of dominance, the years that followed proved far more complex.

Stephens stayed on tour, yes, but the magic of New York was never fully replicated. Aside from a spirited run to the French Open final in 2018, she never reached another Slam final. Her ranking swung up and down, sparking debates. Was her US Open victory the start of something bigger, or the mountaintop moment of her career?

In a candid Forbes interview published on July 16, Stephens peeled back the curtain on what came after the glory. “When you work so hard for something and you finally achieve it, there is a what do I do now moment… When you go from such a high level and then try to recreate that, it’s hard,” she admitted.

She recalled the exhaustion that weighed on her in the months after the title. “I was actually very tired because I hadn’t played in almost a year. I had been through so much, so being away and traveling for six weeks, I was literally exhausted.”

But the bigger battle was mental. “The expectation is to continue to win. From a fan perspective, they don’t know what’s going on behind winning,” she said, noting how off-court pressures began to creep in.

Now, with her Guadalajara match delicately poised and the second set within her grasp, Stephens stands at a crossroads. Can this moment mark the rebirth of her career, the spark that reignites the champion within? Mexico might just be where the next chapter of her story begins.