"Bugs me that Men's NCAA winner has gotten Federer behind him": Tennis fans make interesting comparison between Shelton and Stearns treatment as NCAA champions
Tennis News
There has been some major backlash after tennis fans discovered the disparity in treatment between 2022 NCAA champions Peyton Stearns and Ben Shelton, following Stearns' comments that she lacked a sponsor.
Stearns embarked on a dream run to the fourth round of the 2023 US Open, falling to Marketa Vondrousova in a close three-set match. However, some eagle-eyed fans noticed the American changing outfits between sets, initially donning a Lululemon outfit before switching to a Nike kit.
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Stearns reveals lack of sponsorship deals
"Did Nike sign Peyton Stearns in the toilet break, istg she was wearing Lululemon in the first two sets. That ain't just a different colored dress it's a whole new brand!" asked a fan on social media.
In response, Stearns quipped back that she did not have a clothing sponsor.
"Unsponsored life," she commented.
This led to other fans chiming in, with some stating pointing out that while fellow NCAA champion Ben Shelton had secured a partnership with Roger Federer-backed On, Stearns was yet to lock down an apparel sponsor.
"Bugs me that the men’s NCAA winner has gotten a whole ass Federer behind him and this is how the women’s gets treated. I know Shelton made waves last summer + AO but still," the fan wrote.
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Other fans were more sympathetic, with several urging Stearns to believe in herself and the sponsors would soon come knocking.
"Won't be unsponsored for long!!!!!! Great tournament!" another fan chimed in.
Won't be unsponsored for long!!!!!! Great tournament!" wrote a fan.
"At least you get to pick nice kits! 😭.Hope you get a sponsor soon! 🫶 I'm sure you will if you keep playing like that!" said another fan.
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
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