Sloane Stephens expertly sidesteps controversy when questioned about Iga Swiatek doping saga

Sloane Stephens has been around the tennis courts for a very long time and she demonstrated her veteran savviness during a press conference for the Charlotte Invitational. It's an exhibition event set to be played in Charlotte, USA on December 6 with Stephens being one of the players attending.

During the press conference, a reporter asked the assembled players about the Iga Swiatek doping controversy, which has been a rather contentious issue ever since the news first came out. After displaying a bit of discomfort, Stephens spoke up and expertly sidestepped the question.

"We will not be commenting on that. Sorry" - Sloane Stephens after being asked about Swiatek's doping controversy.

Other players that were in attendance included Carlos Alcaraz, Madison Keys, and Frances Tiafoe. Only Tiafoe spoke besides Sloane Stephens, briefly commenting that he didn't even hear about it before a moderator stepped in and shut down the conversation. That move and the way Stephens expertly sidestepped the question indicate that the players were likely instructed not to talk about it because it is a very controversial topic.

There have been loud debates on whether the way that case and that of Sinner were handled correctly in light of what had transpired with Simona Halep in 2022.

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Sloane Stephens, Carlos Alcaraz, and more set to compete at Charlotte Invitational

The reason why the players were there was not to talk about controversial tennis topics but rather to play some tennis. The Charlotte Invitational is an exhibition event that will be staged on December 6th featuring Sloane Stephens, Frances Tiafoe, Carlos Alcaraz, and Madison Keys. The matches will be played at the Spectrum Center at 7pm local time with two singles matches planned.

One of those will be between Alcaraz and Tiafoe. The other will feature Stephens and Keys facing each other to promote tennis in the community. Towards that goal, Stephens and Keys took part in a ceremony where a tennis court was refurbished. The latter shared a photo from that event on social media where she was pictured together with the former and a bunch of kids, some of whom might become future tennis players.

Tennis has been growing in popularity in the USA, and exhibition events as well as initiatives such as these where courts are refurbished are very vital for that growth. There have been reports in recent years of tennis courts being repurposed into pickleball courts, which will hurt the sport's growth on the grassroots level.

Events like the Charlotte Invitational will help counter that influence because the USA is one of the most important markets for the sport.