 "US Open 2017: Sloane Stephens, Madison Keys' camaraderie was most heartwarming part of women's final")
The 2017 US Open women’s singles final was far from a classic. Unseeded Sloane Stephens needed only 60 minutes to win 6-3, 6-0 over 15th seed Madison Keys. It was the first Grand Slam final for both American women but the occasion seemed to have gotten the better of 22-year-old Keys as she hit 30 unforced errors — Stephens made just six — to make the final a one-sided affair. But the moments that followed after the final point was hit were what made this final memorable. Stephens was momentarily stunned after Keys hit a final forehand wide on match point, before she realised that she had won the title. Stephens rushed to the net and enveloped Keys in a big hug. Keys dissolved into tears, perhaps thinking about her underwhelming performance, but Stephens hugged her tighter and uttered words of consolation. The long hug between two long-time friends was an emotional, heartwarming moment for everyone watching.
. @SloaneStephens is your 2017 #USOpen champion!
She defeats Keys 6-3, 6-0. 🇺🇸🏆 pic.twitter.com/EXuTr0TKmk — US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 9, 2017
While the crowd waited for the trophy ceremony to start, Stephens walked over to Keys’ side of the court and sat beside her. She kept trying to cheer Keys up, cracking jokes and making silly faces. Soon, the two were chatting away and laughing their heads off, oblivious to the eyes of the world upon them. While such camaraderie after a big match isn’t unprecedented — Italians Flavia Pannetta and Roberta Vinci shared a similar moment together after their US Open final in 2015 and sisters Serena Williams and Venus has always had warm embraces after their matches — their friendship and strong bond was truly reflected in the few minutes after the match. [caption id=“attachment_4031011” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Sloane Stephens and her opponent Madison Keys chat with each other before the trophy presentation. Reuters[/caption] “Sloane is truly one of my favorite people and to get to play her was really special. Obviously I didn’t play my best tennis today and was disappointed,” Keys said during the presentation ceremony. “But Sloane, being the great friend that she is, was very supportive. And if there’s someone I have to lose to today, I’m glad it’s her.” Stephens mirrored Keys’ words in her winning speech and said she wished the match could have been a draw. “Maddie’s one of my bestest friends on tour, if not my best friend on tour. To play her here, honestly I wouldn’t have wanted to play anyone else, but for us both to be here is such a special moment. I told her I wish there could be a draw because I wish we could have both won,” said the 24-year-old Stephens. “But I think that if it was the other way around that she would do the same for me and I’m going to support her no matter what and I know she’s going to support me no matter what. So to stand with her here today is incredible and that’s what real friendship is.” We live in a world when the prevailing myth is that women just can’t be friends with each other, and the media often loves to play up the rivalries between female athletes. The support and respect that Stephens and Keys showed each other was a refreshing change from the usual narratives of fights and cut-throat competition between the WTA players. Through their simple words and gestures, they sent out an uplifting message of strength and mutual admiration. For everyone watching — especially young fans and players — it was an inspiring event. Not only had both the Americans staged brilliant comebacks by reaching the final — Stephens
had been sidelined for 11 months and had a foot surgery in January while Keys had two wrist surgeries in 2017 — they epitomised perseverance. [caption id=“attachment_4030917” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]
Sloane Stephens reacts after receiving the winner’s award check after beating Madison Keys in the women’s singles final. AP[/caption] The moving post-match ceremony was interspersed with moments of pure joy and comic relief. Stephens, when presented with her prize money of $3.7 million, she reacted with wide-eyed shock and
giddily held on to Keys’ arm. She exclaimed, “That’s a lot of money — oh my god!” Keys
jokingly grabbed the check and twice said, “I’ll hold it for you.” If Stephens generated a few laughs in the trophy presentation, her
post-match press conference was downright hilarious (and a must-watch). When asked if winning her first Grand Slam inspired her to win more, she replied, “Of course, girl, did you see that check that that lady handed me? Man, if that doesn’t make you want to play tennis, I don’t know what will!”
She cracked the journalists up with her reaction on being informed that she committed only six unforced errors in the entire match. “Shut the front door. I don’t think that’s ever happened to me before. Oh, my God. That’s a stat. Snaps for me,” she said, while snapping her fingers in the air. Stephens has a natural charm that was fully on display in the press conference. She wowed the journalists with her comic timing and candour . Her easy-going attitude and friendly smile won her a lot of new fans. For someone who has not always had an easy time with the press, it was heartening to watch her entertain them and make the most of her moment in the spotlight. Keys too, was no less in her own press conference. She said, “She (Stephens) can buy me drinks, all of the drinks. The hint was, like, you should buy me a bag or something tomorrow.” Stephens and Keys have both emerged as two worthy ambassadors for women’s tennis, and their personalities and honest approach make them very likable. Keys is just 22 years old, and even though her nerves let her down on Saturday, her natural power and big-hitting game should help her make a few more finals in the future. As for Stephens, she has finally lived up to the potential that was spotted when she was a young teen. This tournament was a remarkable display of “Sloane 2.0” — composed defence mixed with explosive power. Six weeks ago, she was ranked 957th in the world because of her injury layoff, now she has risen to World No 17. Her time away from tennis taught her one of the most crucial lessons — to enjoy playing the sport. And in doing so, she has brought a lot of joy to tennis fans all over the world.
