Sloane Stephens had a difficult spell after becoming a Grand Slam champion.
Stephens won the US Open in 2017, and is one of only four people to win the New York major as an unseeded player.
Following her victory over Madison Keys in the US Open final, there was an expectation that Stephens would continue in this vein of form.
However, that was not the case for Stephens, who did not win another match until the following year.
Sloane Stephens went on an eight-match losing streak after winning the US Open in 2017
Stephens beat the likes of Keys and Venus Williams to become a Grand Slam champion at the 2017 US Open.
The American’s first tournament after winning the US Open came at the Wuhan Open, where Stephens lost in the first round to Qiang Wang.
This was the start of a run of defeats for Stephens, who struggled with a knee injury in the latter stages of the 2017 season.
Stephens would lose her last six matches of the year, including four matches where she failed to win a single set.
This run continued into the 2018 season, as Stephens lost her eighth consecutive match in her first Grand Slam match since winning the US Open at the Australian Open.
| Tournament | Sloane Stephens’ result |
| US Open 2017 (F) | Stephens beat Madison Keys (15), 6-3 6-0 |
| Wuhan Open 2017 (R1) | Qiang Wang beat Stephens, 6-2 6-2 |
| China Open 2017 (R1) | Christina McHale (Q) beat Stephens, 6-3 6-0 |
| WTA Elite Trophy 2017 (RR) | Anastasija Sevastova (5) beat Stephens, 7-5 6-3 |
| WTA Elite Trophy 2017 (RR) | Barbora Strycova (11) beat Stephens, 5-0 (Stephens retired) |
| Fed Cup 2017 (F) | Aryna Sabalenka beat Stephens, 6-3 3-6 6-4 |
| Fed Cup 2017 (F) | Aliaksandra Sasnovich beat Stephens, 4-6 6-1 8-6 |
| Sydney International 2018 (R1) | Camila Giorgi (Q) beat Stephens, 6-3 6-0 |
| Australian Open 2018 (R1) | Shuai Zhang beat Stephens, 2-6 7-6(2) 6-2 |
When asked about her losing streak in her post-match press conference following her defeat to Shuai Zhang, Stephens was actually surprisingly upbeat.
“I wouldn’t call them tough times,” said Stephens. “Everyone is so depressed and so down. It happens to everyone. Like, eventually I’ll start, what I told you in D.C., I’m going to beat someone eventually. I will have the best Instagram picture when I finally snap this losing streak.
“Yeah, it’s not tough times. It’s just a learning experience. You know, it’s a long journey. Like I said, this year, it’s a new year, only the second tournament of the year. It’s a long road and long season ahead.”
Stephens would end her losing streak at the Mexican Open and would then start to show the form that won her the US Open title.
This included Stephens winning her first WTA 1000 title at the Miami Open, reaching her second Grand Slam at Roland Garros and qualifying for the WTA Finals for the first time, where she also reached the final.
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Sloane Stephens has been on a worse losing streak since then
Although this losing streak is notable as it came straight after Stephens became a Grand Slam champion, she has actually gone on a longer run of defeats more recently.
This started for Stephens at Wimbledon in 2024, who went on to lose 13 matches in a row, nine of which came in straight sets.
Stephens ended this losing streak at the Australian Open earlier this year, where she then won three matches in a row to qualify for the main draw after dropping down the rankings following a foot injury.
| Tournament | Sloane Stephens’ result |
| Wimbledon 2024 (2R) | Diana Shnaider beat Stephens, 6-1 6-1 |
| Washington Open 2024 (1R) | Amanda Anisimova beat Stephens, 6-3 7-5 |
| Canadian Open 2024 (1R) | Greet Minnen beat Stephens, 6-2 6-2 |
| US Open 2024 (1R) | Clara Burel beat Stephens, 0-6 7-5 7-5 |
| Guadalajara Open 2024 (1R) | Olivia Gadecki beat Stephens, 6-4 6-3 |
| Korea Open 2024 (1R) | Hailey Baptiste beat Stephens, 7-6(4) 6-2 |
| Auckland Open 2025 (1R) | Ann Li beat Stephens, 5-7 6-4 6-4 |
| Hobart International 2025 (1R) | Ann Li beat Stephens, 7-5 6-1 |
| Australian Open 2025 (1R) | Aryna Sabalenka beat Stephens, 6-3 6-2 |
| Merida Open 2025 (1R) | Petra Martic beat Stephens, 6-2 6-3 |
| Guadalajara Open 2025 (1R) | Lucrezia Stefanini beat Stephens, 6-4 4-6 6-1 |
| Abierto Tampico 2025 (1R) | Sahaja Yamalapalli beat Stephens, 6-2 6-2 |
| ASB Classic 2026 (1R) | Renata Zarazua beat Stephens, 7-5 4-6 6-2 |
Wins have been harder to come by for Stephens more recently, with the 33-year-old now ranked outside the top 300.
Stephens recently won her first match in two months at an ITF tournament, and she will now continue her preparations for the US Open at the WTA 250 event in Memphis.
