Sloane Stephens sends out clear message to trolls who said "you should've won you f*cking b*tch"

Sloane Stephens recently shared her approach to handling "bettors" and social media trolls. The American revealed that she has developed a "tough skin" as an athlete and is currently embracing a bold "I don't give a s**t" mindset.

In an exclusive interview with US Weekly, Stephens, the 2017 US Open winner, shared how, after more than 15 years in professional tennis, she has mastered the art of brushing off criticism on social media. The 31-year-old explained that she is in her "phase of I don’t give a s**t."

Stephens shed light on the challenges posed by abusive gamblers. Like many tennis stars, including Caroline Garcia, the 31-year-old has encountered negative and hostile comments on social media. Several players have shared their experiences and called on tennis authorities to take stronger action against such accounts.

"As an athlete, you have such tough skin in general," Sloane Stephens said. "For the bettors and the people who are literally like, ‘You should have won, you f*cking b*tch.’ So when people comment on my post like, ‘Why are you posting this?’ It’s my page. Get the f**k off."

Recent data from tennis organizations revealed around 12,000 abusive posts directed at players and officials from January to October 2024, with nearly half coming from "angry gamblers."

These messages were identified through the Threat Matrix monitoring service, which analyzed over 2.4 million posts globally. The findings underscore the urgent need for tennis authorities to tackle gambling-related harassment and protect athletes from online abuse.

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"People don’t have any filter" - Sloane Stephens opens up about receiving calls to retire amid slump in form

Sloane Stephens at the Charlotte Invitational 2024 - Source: Getty

Sloane Stephens reached the pinnacle of her career with a breakthrough win at the 2017 US Open and a French Open final in 2018, rising to World No. 3. However, after six titles by 2018, she has won just two more by 2025, facing several early exits.

This decline has led to online trolls urging her to retire. Opening up about the experience, Stephens told Us Weekly:

"People don’t have any filter. They also don’t realize that you’re another human being. They would never say it to your face. It actually prohibits people from putting their lives out there because they don’t want to be judged."

Addressing the critics urging her to retire, Stephens pointed out the financial aspect of her career.

"It’s all about what the athlete can handle, right? ‘You should retire?’ I’m like, ‘If these people are still paying me, I’m not going.’ I think people don’t realize, if someone was paying you a lot of money, you wouldn’t quit your job. You wouldn’t leave your job," she added.

The 31-year-old suffered a loss in her first singles match of the 2025 season at the ASB Classic in Auckland, prompting some fans to call for her retirement. However, Stephens has been impressive in doubles, partnering with Clara Tauson. The duo is set to compete in the semifinals on January 4.