CHARLESTON, S,C. — Monday didn’t sound like a big day at the Credit One Charleston Open. Opening days and lesser players aren’t usually a big day.
But this Monday was a little different.
Sloane Stephens was on center court in early afternoon. The fans are always there to see former champions. So, it was a big event.
The 2017 U.S. Open champion was home. Stephens has been coming to the country’s premiere WTA women’s only tennis tournament for a long time. After all, Sloane is 33 years old.
IT WASN’T SLOANE’S DAY
This wasn’t Stephens’ day on Daniel Island. Nothing seemed to work for her on the green clay court.
Not even against 5-3, 28-year-old Renata Zarazua’s deadly drop shots. Stephens just couldn’t get to the little Mexican’s drop shots that seemed to come early in most points.
Sloane tried her best, but usually arrived a step too late to return the drop shots.
Stephens hardly could win a point after Zarazua won two games in the first set. The final score was 6-2, 6-0 in Zarazua’s vapor.
After all, Stephens was now in wild card territory after playing just six events in 2025.
ZARAZUA MADE HER DAY COUNT
Zarazua just did get into the COCO main draw with her No. 85 WTA ranking. She got a little help by the withdrawals of No. 6 Amanda Anisimova No. 25 Emma Navarro.
Stephens was always expected to be a sports star. She came from a family of athletes. Her deceased father John Stephens was a Pro Bowl running back for the New England Patriots and her mother Sybil was an All-American swimmer for Boston University.
Of course, Stephens’ biggest win was her victory over her friend Madison Keys in the 2017 U.S. Open final a year after winning the Charleston event. She later won a Charleston doubles title in 2024.
Maybe Sloane has a big day ahead of her.
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James Beck was the 2003 winner of the USTA National Media Award for print media. A 1995 MBA graduate of The Citadel, he can be reached at Jamesbecktennis@gmail.com.
