Sloane Stephens Showed Her Power During Her SI Swim Feature in Aruba

Sloane Stephens was photographed by James Macari in Aruba / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

In 2018, American professional tennis player Sloane Stephens made her one and only appearance in the SI Swimsuit Issue. She was fresh off of her biggest career win to date, a win at the 2017 US Open in New York. And, in mid-2018, she was enjoying the highest WTA ranking of her career—world No. 3.

On the beaches of Aruba, the now 31-year-old showed her power, the very strength that she had been (and still is) bringing to the court. She posed in a variety of black bikinis and one-pieces against the stunning natural backdrop for a few dozen photos captured by photographer James Macari.

By then, Stephens was used to the spotlight. She turned pro in 2009, and had grown her career steadily in the eight years leading up to her first—and so far only—Grand Slam win. But, admittedly, the SI Swimsuit spotlight was of a different nature. Posing in front of the camera in swimsuits wasn’t what she had trained for—but she was an absolute natural at it all the same.

Though the years since her photo shoot and her accompanying No. 3 ranking have been rockier where tennis is concerned, the athlete continues to compete with confidence. Currently ranked No. 39 in the world in singles, Stephens started the 2024 season with a trip to the third round of the Australian Open and an accompanying positive attitude. With several months of play left, it remains to be seen if she can continue the trend back toward the top.

No matter what, though, we’ll be here to cheer her on—and admire her SI Swimsuit feature, too. Here are just a few of the stunning snapshots from the day.

James Macari/Sports Illustrated

James Macari/Sports Illustrated

James Macari/Sports Illustrated