Buy, Sell or Hold: Sloane Stephens

Player Bio

Age: 21

Hometown: Plantation, FL, USA

Favorite Surface: Clay

Career Record: 159 - 113

Career Highlights:

• 2013 Australian Open Semifinalist
•  Made at least the fourth round of every major in 2013
• Finished 2013 ranked #11 in the world

Reasons To Buy

1. All-Around Player: Out of all the young players making their way up the rankings, Stephens has the most well-rounded game. The 21-year-old has penetrating groundstrokes, a solid serve, which she hits well over 110 MPH, and a strong net game. Despite being one of the shorter players on tour (5’7”), Stephens possesses one of the biggest forehands in women’s tennis. Furthermore, to be a top player in women’s tennis, a player must have weapons. Sloane Stephens has all the tools to become the next tennis superstar.    
2. Movement: In addition to her well-rounded game, Sloane Stephens is one of the best movers on the WTA tour. Coming from an athletic family (Mom Sybil was the first African-American female All-American swimmer at Boston University and Father John was a professional football player), Stephens has the foot speed to run down just about every ball. Other than her huge forehand, I believe the American’s movement is her greatest weapon. When used effectively, Stephens is able to use her movement to transition from defense to offense. Movement is a major factor in today’s game because of how well players strike the ball. Furthermore, Stephens’s ability to use her movement to win points differentiates her from most players on the WTA Tour. 

Reasons To Sell

1. Attitude/Desire to win: The biggest concern when it comes to the Stephens’s game is her attitude on court. On several occasions, Stephens’s demeanor conveys the feeling of disinterest or lack of desire. The American has always been a calm and centered player on the court. However, a little fire expressed after a pivotal point in a match will go a long way for the young American. As a player with such a warm personality off the court, Stephens is as cold as ice on the cold.
2. Too Passive: As big as the Stephens’s game is, the American relies too heavily on her movement to outlast her opponents. Historically, the players who have won major titles were those who possessed an aggressive mindset. Stephens plays a majority of her matches camped out well behind the baseline. Instead of taking the ball early and being offensive, the American waits for the ball to come to her. Stephens’s problem is not due to an inability to hit for power. Rather, it is the American’s defensive mind-set that is preventing her from taking her game to the next level. Until Stephens makes a concerted effort to play more aggressively, she will have to be content with just being a top 30 player.  

Reasons To Hold

1. Still Putting the Pieces Together: Balance in tennis is everything. A player must choose when to step up and take the ball on the rise, or to play consistent baseline tennis. This is something that Sloane Stephens still struggles with. Even though Stephens has played on the pro tour since 2010, the American is still trying to put the pieces of her game together on various fronts. A crucial piece of the puzzle is her coaching situation. In her brief career, Stephens has had quite a few coaches, including David Nainkin, Roger Smith, and Paul Annacone. Unfortunately for the American, none of these coaching arrangements has resulted in a better perspective of how to maximize her potential. Several days after parting ways with Annacone, it was reported that Stephens has begun working with coach Thomas Hogstedt. As great of a job as Hogstedt did with Sharapova in their three-year stint together, I am cautiously optimistic as to how much of an impact the Swedish coach can have on Stephens. Conversely, if Hodstedt can impart the same aggressive mentality he instilled in Sharapova into Stephens’s game, the American might be able to put all the pieces together. With all of my speculating, time will tell whether the Stephens-Hogstedt team will solve the young American’s puzzle.
2. Too Soon To Call: Over the years, tennis fans have grown accustom to the young phenoms achieving great success. From Chris Evert to most recently Maria Sharapova, we expect a great deal from any player deemed to be “The Next.” The same could be said about Sloane Stephens. After Stephens shocked the tennis world last year by defeating Serena Williams in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, people began labeling her as “The next Serena Williams.” As grateful as Stephens must have felt to receive such a distinction; conversely, she must have felt the weight of the world being placed on her shoulders. Being only 21 years of age, Stephens still lacks experience when it comes to day-to-day life on the tour, as well as dealing with the pressure in big matches. The U.S. fans have been unrealistic in their expectations of Stephens in the early stages of her career. As a player who is still developing, it is too soon to call the trajectory of Stephens’s career. 

Verdict: Hold

Based on Sloane’s athletic ability, she has top 5 potential… if she can put the pieces together. At 21 years of age, Stephens is still looking for the right balance when it comes to her game and her coaching situation. The American’s decision to hire Maria Sharapova’s former coach Thomas Hogstedt will hopefully result in a better perspective of how to approach a match. If Stephens develops a more aggressive mentality, along with a more intense attitude on the court, the young American could become a serious contender for major titles. Furthermore, I would place Sloane Stephens’ stock as a hold.