For tennis fans, this becomes a confusing time of year between the last WTA and ATP 1000 level tournaments and end-of-year finals. There are plenty of smaller tournaments with players trying to end the year on a positive note.
One of those players is 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens. Stephens has played only 10 matches in 2025; five singles and five doubles. She was sidelined with injury for the majority of the year. Stephens spent her time commentating at the French Open and US Open and becoming the first tennis player to win the 2025 Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award.
Fans of Sloane Stephens worried that she would not return to tennis. It is encouraging to see her back on the court at the Abierto Tampico in Mexico this week. It is a WTA 125 event. USA’s Caroline Dolehide is the top seed.
Sloane Stephens taking photos with fans pic.twitter.com/jfF2CnsG8x
— Ken McKinnon (@mckinnon88877) October 14, 2025
On Tuesday night, Stephens will play 24-year-old Indian player Sahaja Yamalapalli.
¡Día 2 del Abierto Tampico!🎾
Esta es la Actividad del Segundo Día del Abierto Tampico 2025🏆#WTA #WTA125 #AbiertoTampico #Tampico pic.twitter.com/SEcMH0hfw1
— Oscar Malibran (@OscarMalibran) October 14, 2025
How Many More Chances Will We Get To See Sloane Stephens Play Tennis?
Prior to her injury hiatus, Stephens hinted in January that she did not know how much longer she would play.
The 32-year-old has been forthright about wanting to start a family and has frozen her eggs to ensure that she has a viable opportunity to do so after her playing career ends.
Stephens fans should enjoy every chance we get to see her play.
She is a talented player but has proven in 2025 that her businesses, philanthropic, and broadcasting work will give her so many options after she finishes playing. Stephens has most recently joined WNBA star Candace Parker, NFL legend Steve Young, and Novak Djokovic in investing in a professional basketball league called “Project B” that hopes to began playing games in Fall 2026.
‘Project B’ is a new women’s basketball league that will feature tournaments in cities across Asia, Europe and the Americas.
The league has already signed WNBA players to join the league, according to co-founder Grady Burnett.
Eventually, the goal could be to rival the W. pic.twitter.com/MUYO8ZTzA6
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 9, 2025
