US OPEN

September 3, 2020

Sloane Stephens

Press Conference

S. STEPHENS/O. Govortsova

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you assess your play today and in relation to that how you feel about your game going into your next match, which possibly could be against Serena?

SLOANE STEPHENS: Yeah, I thought I played well today. Obviously getting into a little bit of a better rhythm, like, kind of feeling my game out a little bit more, getting that confidence back.

Today I thought I played well, built on my first match. And then obviously another good opportunity to get out there on Saturday to play against Serena possibly. Really looking forward to it, another shot just to have an opportunity to play obviously without having played that much this year. It's just another amazing opportunity to get out there.

Q. How do you feel physically going into your next match considering you haven't played in quite some time?

SLOANE STEPHENS: Yeah, I mean, I feel good. Nothing is wrong with me. Fingers crossed. Everything is good so far (smiling).

Q. The US Open atmosphere. If you were to, in fact, play Serena, two Americans at the US Open, no fans, how do you wrap yourself around that?

SLOANE STEPHENS: Well, I know if there were fans it would be so lit, and I'm kind of sad that we're not playing in front of fans because it would be so fun.

But, no, like I said, another good opportunity to play. Thankful that we are playing in this time just in general. Obviously no fans, the atmosphere won't be as big, but obviously a big opportunity to play against the greatest player in the world.

So, yeah, unfortunate but still fortunate.

Q. Without giving away too much of your strategy, what would be your strategy?

SLOANE STEPHENS: Oh, my God, I just finished my last match. I can't even, like, be happy about that. You guys don't give me a break (smiling).

I would never tell you guys my strategy. I don't even know who asked that.

Q. I will take a few moments to let you be very happy about your result.

SLOANE STEPHENS: Thank you.

Q. But I wanted to ask if when this tournament began, the draw was full of young American players of color, from Coco Gauff to Whitney, Robin Montgomery, Hailey Baptiste. And I'm just curious how you feel about that as an African American player and if you have any particular thoughts about the reason for it.

SLOANE STEPHENS: What do you mean, the reason, like why there is so many women of color playing? What's the question?

Q. Yeah, exactly.

SLOANE STEPHENS: Well, I think it's awesome. Obviously right now kind of leading our sport on the women's side is African American women, which is amazing, from Naomi to Coco, Venus, Serena, obviously Maddie, myself, and then obviously the younger girls coming up.

I think there is an amazing opportunity to get more women of color in this sport, and obviously tennis is giving us so much in our lives. I think it's an amazing opportunity for right now to get more people of color in this sport, because you can see now there are so many amazing players playing and it's a good opportunity for us.