19-Year-Old Sloane Stephens in Round 4 French Open

If you haven’t heard of Sloane Stephens, it’s time you have.  She is making a name for herself at the French Open.

Venus Williams out, Serena Williams out. Andy Roddick out. Sloane Stephens is still playing.

The unseeded 19-year-old has reached Round 4 by defeating Mathilde Johansson of France 6-3, 6-2.  This is the farthest she’s advanced in a Grand Slam.  With success comes the spotlight.

Joanne Gerstner at ESPNW.com writes:

Stephens is moving through a curious, shifting world, one many 19-year-olds have to work through in a less public way. She’s becoming her own woman, defining her career on the tennis court. And off the court, she’s learning how to handle her growing fame, growing into adulthood and all the intense things that come with the nomadic life of tennis.

On already being compared to Venus and Serena Williams, Sloane says:

“It’s always good to be recognized, you know, for sport. I think being up there with Venus and Serena, I think, that’s awesome. I’m excited. I’m happy that I am improving and getting better, and that I can be here.”

And a perk of winning in the mind of a teen:

“Now I’m going to have more Twitter followers.“

She’s a very impressive young woman. Watch an interview here.