Venus Williams and Sloane Stephens to compete at Atlanta Open

Former world number 1 in singles and doubles Venus Williams and 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens will face off at the Atlanta Open Sunday Showdown on July 21.

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The two former Grand Slam champions will play a three-set singles match from 7 p.m. to kick off the main draw. The 2024 Atlanta Open is scheduled to be played July 20-28 at Atlantic Station. Last year, tournament organizers announced that the 2024 event would be the Atlanta Open’s last.

Both women will make a return to Atlanta since each player has participated in a Sunday Showdown, Williams in the first Sunday Showdown in 2017 (against Genie Bouchard), Stephens in 2021 (against Kim Clijsters). Williams, the sport’s winningest active player with seven Grand Slam singles titles and 49 career WTA singles titles, is one of the most accomplished players in tennis history. Combining her singles and doubles careers, Williams has won 21 Grand Slam titles, four Olympic gold medals and one silver, and is second all-time in career awards.

One thing Williams has yet to accomplish in her career is win a match against Stephens, as Stephens is undefeated in two career matches between them. The most recent match between the two men was a semifinal at the 2017 US Open where Stephens, a former world No. 3, outlasted Williams (6-1, 0-6, 7-5) en route to victory of the Grand Slam. Stephens won eight WTA singles titles during her career.

“We are proud to announce that Venus Williams and Sloane Stephens will play in the Sunday Showdown Finals hosted by UPS,” said Atlanta Open Tournament Director Peter Lebedevs. “Venus and Sloane are two beloved champions of our sport, and they will surely put on a great show for Atlanta tennis fans.”

Tickets for the Sunday Showdown are on sale now and available at atlantaopentennis.com.