"Still here" - Sloane Stephens sends emotional message to fans after Australian Open exit

Sloane Stephens shared an emotional note days after facing an early exit at the 2024 Australian Open. The American faced a challenging start to her campaign, drawing World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the opening round.

The Belarusian asserted her dominance early, racing to a 4-0 lead in the first set and despite Stephens' efforts to push back, won it 6-3. The second set followed a similar trajectory, with the American succumbing 2-6, resulting in a first-round exit from the hard-court Major for the fifth time in six years.

Days after her exit from the 2025 Australian Open, Sloane Stephens shared a heartfelt note, thanking those who had supported her during her campaign. She shared a few pictures from her campaign and wrote:

"Still here, still living the dream—grateful to still be playing on the world’s biggest stages, in front of my family, best friends, and fans. It will never get old. Thank you for supporting me through it all ❤️ @AustralianOpen."

The 2017 US Open champion had faced Sabalenka five times on tour, with the latter emerging victorious on each occasion. Sabalenka's win over Stephens also marked her 15th consecutive victory at the Australian Open since her last loss in the 2022 edition. This winning streak has now extended to 17 as Sabalenka advances to the fourth round, where she will face Mirra Andreeva.

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"If these people are still paying me, I’m not going" Sloane Stephens

Sloane Stephens - Image Source: Getty

Sloane Stephens' 2017 US Open title remains a defining moment in her career. Since then, the American has reached the final of the 2018 French Open and made three quarterfinal appearances (2018 US Open, 2019 French Open, and 2022 French Open). However, she has been unable to add another Major title to her collection.

Speaking to the US Weekly recently, Sloane Stephens addressed the harsh criticism she has faced regarding her career trajectory.

"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," she said.

The 31-year-old highlighted her resilience, emphasizing that as long as she’s being paid well, she sees no reason to quit her tennis 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.

Stephens is yet to win a singles match in the 2025 season, having played three fixtures so far.