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Fresno Tennis Great Sloane Stephens' Wedding Attracts Worldwide Notice
Bill McEwen updated website photo 2024
By Bill McEwen, News Director
Published 3 years ago on
January 5, 2022

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Sloane Stephens, who started on the road to winning the 2017 U.S. Open as a youngster in Fresno, is now officially hitched to professional soccer standout Jozy Altidore.

They wed on New Year’s Day at the St. Regis Bal Harbour in Miami Beach, Florida, according to People magazine.

“I really liked the symbolism of starting a new year completely fresh with a new beginning,” Stephens said. “Plus I fly to Australia to start my season soon so this is what needed to happen!”

The international fashion magazine Vogue covered the wedding in great detail. You can see the wedding pictures at this link.

Stephens and Altidore posted a wedding photo Tuesday on their Instagram accounts.

The couple announced their engagement on Twitter in April 2019 with a photo showing her wearing a diamond ring. Her tweet said: “Forever yes” and his said: “Forever starts now.”

Strict COVID-19 Protocols for Guests

“The bride, 28, wore a custom, beaded Galia Lahav couture gown with a Maria Elena headpiece, and Peter Marco diamonds as she said “I do” to Altidore, 32,” People reported.”Her up-do was crafted by Schacle Powell, and bridal makeup by Tia Codrington. Altidore’s barber for his wedding day cut was Christopher Bailey.”

Strict COVID-19 protocols were in place for the guests, the magazine said.

Altidore, who plays for Toronto FC, said he couldn’t wait to see Stephens walk down the aisle.

“It’s one of those moments that I know will live in my mind forever and time will stand still when I see her,” he said.

Stephens’ Tennis Career

Stephens rose to a career-best ranking of No. 3 in the world after Wimbledon in 2018. She has won six World Tennis Association titles, including the 2017 U.S. Open.

She is the daughter of Fresno native Sybil Smith, who became the first African-American female swimmer to be named a first-team All-American while at Boston University.

Her father is the late NFL running back John Stephens. After a divorce, Sloane Stephens, 2 years old at the time, moved with her mother from Florida to Fresno.

She took up tennis at the age of 9 at Sierra Sport and Racquet Club, where her stepfather, Sheldon Farrell, played. The head of the club was former world Top 100 player Francisco González, and he became her first coach.

Altidore’s Soccer Career

Altidore has 42 goals in 115 appearances for the United States but has not appeared for the national team since 2019.

He has been with Toronto FC of Major League Soccer since 2015. He also has had stints with the New York Red Bulls (2006-08), Spain’s Villarreal (2008-11) and Xerez (2009), England’s Hull (2009-10) and Sunderland (2013-15), Turkey’s Bursaspor (2011) and the Netherlands’ AZ Alkmaar (2011-13).

 

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Bill McEwen,
News Director
Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email

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