After first Grand Slam, Stephens has no plans to change her game

NEW YORK—Sloane Stephens doesn't want any more talk about whether she should change her game style.

The 24-year-old, who defeated Madison Keys in straight sets to win the US Open, called her Grand Slam victory an answer to critics who have called for her to play more offensively.

"I think my game is OK. I think I don't need to change anything," she told TENNIS.com, speaking to a small group of journalists following her win at the US Open. ''If I can play the way I play and win a Grand Slam, I don't think there needs to be any discussion about it.

"I think it's good, and it works, so I'm going to keep doing the same thing."

Stephens mixes her power and movement to play longer rallies rather than always looking to take charge of points. It's an approach that her coach, Kamau Murray, says is right for her.

Having worked with Stephens since 2015, he called her play in the final the most consistent of the tournament.

"I think you have to play the way that fits your personality," he said. "You know, Sloane is somebody that I don't think needs to be purely offensive. I think she is an opportunistic type of player. If you make a mistake, she can make you pay. But to take somebody—that's not super aggressive as a person—[if] you make them [very] aggressive on the tennis court, you take them too far away from their personality.

"I don't know that I'd say be more aggressive. Be more opportunistic is probably a better way for her to play."

Stephens was playing just her fifth event since returning from foot surgery, and the first Grand Slam final of her career.

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