News Americas, FLUSHING, NY, Sun. Sept. 10, 2017: A 24-year-old tennis pro, whose roots extend to the Caribbean, has won the 2017 women’s finals of the US Open and her first Grand Slam title.
Sloane Stephens, whose grandfather was born in the Caribbean island of Trinidad & Tobago, created history Saturday in Flushing, NY, by beating Madison Keys, 6-3, 6-0 on to win the US Open.
The Plantation, Fl-born 83rd rank Stephens won 16 of 20 points she served in the first set and didn’t face a single break point until 50 minutes into the final, deep in the second set. She is the first ever known Caribbean roots US Open champ.
Stephens, who spent a lot of time with her grandfather, who grew up poor in Trinidad, then won a scholarship to Howard University and became a doctor in the United States, commented after: “I should just retire now.”
Stephens won despite the odds of sitting out 11 months with a left foot stress fracture until this year’s Wimbledon.
“BEST. DAY. EVER,” the 24-year-old tweeted after the match.
