Sloane Stephens celebrates birthday with pajama party, Miami Open win over Angelique Kerber

Sloane Stephens celebrated her 31^st birthday on Wednesday with a 6-2, 6-3 win over former world No. 1 Angelique Kerber, and revealed afterward that the festivities began Tuesday night with a seafood pajama party with family and friends.

“It was really fun, everyone dressed up in their favorite PJs, I wore a very old-school two-piece Juicy Couture pajama set, remember that was the thing?” Stephens said, smiling. “Everyone was there, my aunts, all my friends, it was very nice and fun. Low-key, obviously, because I had to play (Wednesday).”

Spending her birthday at this tournament has become a tradition for Stephens, who won the event in 2018.

“My birthday is always during the Miami Open, I don’t know how many times I’ve actually played on my birthday,” she said.

After the match at her on-court interview she said: “A very great day at the office. I feel like I had the biggest party ever, and you guys all came out.”

Stephens advanced to the second round, where she will face Sorana Cirstea.

Playing in Miami always makes Stephens nostalgic. She is making her 12^th main draw appearance in the tournament, and 15^th overall.

“I’ve been coming to the Miami Open since I was 12 or 13 years old, so it’s been incredible to have been a fan running around the grounds and seeing all these players, and then to be able to play and win here,” she said.

“I experienced Crandon Park, Key Biscayne, and now here [Hard Rock Stadium]. It’s really incredible to be able to play in front of South Florida fans and to play at home, stay at home. Playing in front of friends and family has always been really special for me.”

Stephens is ranked No. 41 in the world and has an 8-7 record so far this season. She was ranked as high as No. 3, has won $18.2 million and won the 2017 U.S. Open.

She reflected on her career on her birthday.

“It’s been a difficult journey, a lot of ups and downs, a lot of heartbreak, a lot of strong, incredible performances on incredible stages and great trophies and just very low lows,” she said. “When I started playing tennis I would have never dreamed of winning a Grand Slam or being No. 3 in the world. I was playing because I loved it.”

She said someone recently asked if she regretted never reaching No. 1.

“Absolutely not,” she said. “I maxed out what I had. I won a Grand Slam. I had a great career-high ranking, played the Olympics, done all these amazing things. When you start a sport you can have a dream..when you do that and so many other things on top of it, it’s like icing in the cake. I’ve done so much, but there is still a lot left. I’m 31, who knows how much longer I’ll play, but there is still a lot left.”

Also advancing Wednesday was former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka, who beat Elisabetta Cocciaretto of Italy 6-3, 6-4. Osaka returned from maternity leave in January and is trying to climb her way back up from No. 229. This is her sixth tournament of 2024 and she is 6-5 so far this season.

Osaka said she played more “freely” than she had in a long time on the familiar surroundings, where she made the final in 2022.

“Going into the match I just knew that I’ve played well here before and if anything, I can count on my reflexes, but I didn’t have to rely on that as a crutch,” she said. “I came out probably swinging the best that I have since I’ve been back.”

Other winners were Danielle Collins, who beat fellow American Bernarda Pera 3-6 6-1 6-1 and American Shelby Rogers, who rallied to beat wild card Linda Fruhvirtova of Czech Republic 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

On the men’s side, 36-year-old former No. 1 Andy Murray of Great Britain won his opening match 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 against Matteo Berrettini of Italy. Murray, who spent many off-seasons training in Miami, is ranked No. 62 and was granted a wild card in to the tournament, which he has won twice.

Also, Tomas Machac of Czech Republic beat American wild card Darwin Blanch, a 16-year-old Deerfield Beach native making his ATP debut. Machac, ranked No. 60 in the world, won 6-4, 6-2. Canadian Denis Shapovalov defeated Italian Luciano Darderi 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4.

Thursday’s afternoon schedule includes No. 17 American Madison Keys against Russian Diana Shnaider, a former North Carolina State player who beat Venus Williams in the opening round. Fourth-ranked Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan plays qualifier Clara Tauson of Denmark in the night session. Wild card Kei Nishikori, the Japanese star who reached as high as No. 4 in the world in 2015, is coming off injury and plays Sebastian Ofner of Austria.

Sabalenka Asks for Privacy

The tournament’s No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka released this statement about the tragic death by apparent suicide Sunday of ex-boyfriend and former NHL player Konstantin Koltsov: “Konstantin’s death is an unthinkable tragedy, and while we were no longer together, my heart is broken. Please respect my privacy and his family’s privacy during this difficult time.”

Koltsov, 42, jumped from a balcony at the St. Regis Bal Harbour, according to Miami-Dade police. Sabalenka is scheduled to play her opening match on Friday.