On Monday, Andy Murray accused World No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas of gamesmanship for taking lengthy toilet breaks during their first-round match. That sparked a raging debate in the tennis world, with many players, fans and experts weighing in with their views on the matter.
Murray stirred the pot further with a hilarious tweet the next day, comparing the length of Tsitsipas’ toilet breaks to the time it takes Jeff Bezos to go into space. And Stephens retweeted that, making fans wonder whether she endorsed the Scot’s take.
Following her win over Coco Gauff, Sloane Stephens was asked to comment on the tweet. The American claimed she retweeted it only because she found it “really funny”, and that she was a “huge fan” of Murray’s.
Stephens then made some insightful and thought-provoking comments on the whole issue. The 28-year-old admitted that the rules are frequently abused on the women’s side, and called extended toilet breaks a form of gamesmanship.
Stephens went on to express hope for a change in the rules given all the debate and discussion over the past few days.
Sloane Stephens also believes a time cap is essential to prevent such occurrences in the future. According to the American a long break can change the momentum of a match, which is unfair to the player waiting on the court.
“She has a really great all-around game” - Sloane Stephens on Coco Gauff
Sloane Stephens also took the time to appreciate the talent of her beaten opponent Coco Gauff. At 17, Gauff already has two WTA titles under her belt and has made the second week at three of the four Slams. Her quarterfinal finish at this year’s French Open has been the teenager’s best performance at a Major.
Having known Gauff for a long time, Stephens stated she was happy to see how her younger compatriot’s game has evolved. The 28-year-old also claimed Gauff’s variety and all-round game make her stand out from her generation.
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