Sloane Stephens sends a sweet message to her NCAA history-making mother Sybil to celebrate her birthday

Sloane Stephens' NCAA history-making mother Sybil turned 58 on Saturday, November 23. On the occasion of Sybil's birthday, Stephens penned a heartfelt wish expressing her love and appreciation for her mother.

To this day, Sloane Stephens' mother Sybil is widely regarded as the best swimmer to have represented Boston University. Sybil made history in her senior year when she became the first African-American woman swimmer to register a top-eight finish in the NCAA Division I Championships. She finished sixth in the 100-yard backstroke.

Sybil's outstanding achievements for Boston University were honored with the prestigious Mildred Barnes Award for Boston University's outstanding woman athlete in 1987 and 1988. No other athlete had achieved this feat before. In 1993, Sybil was inducted into the Boston University Athletic Hall of Fame.

For Sybil's 58th birthday, Sloane Stephens took to her Instagram stories to share a heartfelt post. The post featured a picture of Sybil by the sea with the caption:

"Happy birthday to the sweetest mom ever @sybilasmith. You are loved and appreciated"

Sloane Stephens' Instagram Story featuring her birthday wish to her mother Sybil (Source: Instagram/Sloane Stephens)

Stephens, a former World No. 3 and the 2017 US Open champion, is known for her powerful style of play. At the 2023 French Open, following her third-round win over Yulia Putintseva, she was asked about the source of her strength and athleticism on the tennis court. In response, she paid credit to her mother Sybil:

"Yeah, but I'd say I get it from my mom! She's the most athletic person in my family, so I definitely got it from her."

At the time, Sybil herself was at Roland Garros, cheering her daughter on from the stands.

Ahead of the 2023 French Open, Stephens had laid bare her admiration for Sybil for helping her manage her stress and mental health.

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"My mom, she's so freakin' cool" - When Sloane Stephens lauded her mother Sybil before 2023 French Open

Sloane Stephens (Source: Getty)

Stephens, in a conversation with On Her Turf ahead of the 2023 French Open, opened up about the role her mother Sybil played in the management of the player's stress and mental health. Stephens shared that she and Sybil have self-care days together.

Stephens said,

"My mom, she’s so freakin’ cool. She’s so awesome. We actually do a lot of (self-care) stuff together. We really look forward to like doing those things and having self-care days. …But I think she also knows how important it is to have that time to take care of yourself and have that time alone, too, to recharge and regroup. She’s encouraged me both ways, just because she knows how helpful it can be."

The former World No. 3 finished the 2024 season as the World No. 79 in singles. While Stephens won her seventh WTA Tour-level title at the Open de Rouen this year, her overall win-loss record was a mixed bag, with 19 wins and 22 losses.