"I'm not going to die if I don't make it": Sloane Stephens takes pragmatic view to Olympic Games selection
WTA
Sloane Stephens admitted she won't lose sleep if she isn't picked for the team at the 2024 Olympic Games for the USA with the team already being stacked on paper.
Stephens who faces Iga Swiatek on Tuesday afternoon at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is a former US Open champion after initially breaking into the top three of the WTA Rankings back in 2018. She has shown flashes since then but has been on the whole, very inconsistent. She is currently World No.41 and with the 2024 Paris Olympics fast approaching, she finds herself behind Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Coco Gauff and Emma Navarro in the pecking order.
Sofia Kenin and Peyton Stearns are also further names who could yet find themselves in contention. But even if she doesn't qualify for Paris, it isn't something that will keep her awake at night. She lost to Eugenie Bouchard in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games so has had that Olympic experience albeit a dismal one which saw her halted by suffering a foot injury. But it seems she takes a more pragmatic view point to potentially missing out.
"Obviously, I'd love to make it (to the Olympics) but our bench is really tough; it always has been and someone always gets left out," Stephens said in an interview with Arab News.
"It won't be the end of the world if I don't make it. But obviously Paris, playing at Roland Garros, is one of my favorite venues I've ever played at and done well at, so it would be nice. But I'm not going to die if I don't make it."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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