Sloane Stephens Was ‘Honored’ to Pose for the SI Swimsuit Issue in Aruba

The pro tennis player traveled to the Caribbean destination for her feature in 2017.

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

Sloane Stephens had a big year in 2017. Not only was the model surprised with a cover feature in a September issue of Sports Illustrated, but she likewise took to the set of SI Swimsuit to pose for a brand feature in the annual magazine.

For her photo shoot, the 31-year-old traveled to Aruba with a handful of other professional athletes, and posed for a series of edgy photos captured by James Macari. Stephens was styled in a handful of all-black swimsuits, which really popped against the bright blue waters of the Caribbean destination.

Posing for a brand feature was somewhat of a dream come true for the Florida native. “I’ve always loved the beauty of the SI Swimsuit Issue and thought it would be incredible to one day be a part of it,” she told the team during her photo shoot. “I honestly never thought I’d have the opportunity. When the opportunity was presented, I immediately said yes because I felt really honored to be a part of it.”

At the time, Stephens was riding a high in her tennis career, too. The fall of 2017 saw the American pro win her first—and only—Grand Slam tournament, the U.S. Open. And the following summer saw her reach her highest career ranking on the WTA Tour, No. 3 in the world. Though she saw some difficulty in the years following, the pro has been building back toward that success over the past year or so.

In honor of her impressive career, we’re taking a look back at another incredible accolade: her SI Swimsuit photo shoot. Here are some of the beautiful pics from the trip.

James Macari/Sports Illustrated

James Macari/Sports Illustrated

James Macari/Sports Illustrated