The American insists that nothing has changed with her coaching team despite the absence of Kamau Murray.
Sloane Stephens and Kamau Murray are still working together—sort of. After her straight-sets win over Taylor Townsend on Day 1 in Melbourne, the American told media that nothing has changed in her coaching arrangement. Kamau is still with her team, just not physically.
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“Everyone is still around,” Stephens said. “Like I said, Kamau and I needed a break, we are in a great space. I surrounded myself with people here that I have known for a long time that I'm comfortable with. I wanted to be happy and hopefully that would allow me to play better. So, yeah, the coaching situation is exactly the same as it was before. You just don't see Kamau physically here.
Asked if she had a date planned in which Murray would physically re-appear, Stephens replied “no.”
Sly Black is currently assuming head coaching duties.
Stephens is set to face Timea Babos in second-round action. She snapped a four-match losing streak at the Happy Slam with her victory on Day 1. Stephens famously reached the semifinals in 2013 at Melbourne when the then 19-year-old achieved a stunning three-set victory over Serena Williams in the quarterfinals.
“It's been a tough couple of years here, but I do love this tournament,” Stephens said. “It's always tough the first slam of the year kind of getting going. I had a good result here once before, so I think I'm going to try to do it again.”
