American tennis star Sloane Stephens is looking to avenge the demons of her past at the French Open this year. She was runner-up back in 2018 in a defeat to Simona Halep.
The 31-year-old is gunning for only her second Grand Slam victory to add to her 2017 US Open triumph. She faces Kazakhstani opponent Yulia Putintseva in the opening round on Tuesday.
And cheering her on will be former Premier League striker Jozy Altidore. Known best for his stint at Sunderland, a period where he scored only once in 42 league matches, Altidore went down as a major flop in English football and has been dubbed one of the top-flight’s worst ever transfers on social media.
Having last played for New England Revolution in 2023, the former USA international, 34, is free to watch his wife strive for victory at Roland Garros. Long-time friends since their childhood in Florida, the athletic pair lost touch while pursuing individual career paths.
However, destiny brought them together again in 2016, with wedding bells eventually ringing on New Year’s Day in 2022, reports the Mirror. Recalling their reunion, Altidore told VOGUE: “I was doing a media scrum in the hallway during a US Mens National team camp.
“Sloane was there training for Fed Cup in Hawaii. Sloane turned the corner while having a loud conversation on FaceTime. We locked eyes and started talking during the scrum. We exchanged contacts and went to dinner after my game versus Iceland. The rest was history.”
The future remains uncertain for Altidore, who also previously had a less than stellar loan spell at Hull City. Despite his struggles on this side of the pond, he found success with AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands and became a star in MLS with Toronto FC, not to mention netting 42 times for his country.
In a 2022 interview, Stephens shared how Altidore’s career in sports helped their relationship thrive: “Because Jozy is also a professional athlete, there is so much implied understanding about what is required for each of us to do to be and feel our best.
“It is so comforting to have that level of understanding in a partner.” Stephens advanced to the fourth round of the French Open in 2023 and is set to face Putintseva in her opening match at 10am on Tuesday.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk