Stephens began the weekend with 17,000 followers before her anticipated matchup with Williams. After Stephens battled back to beat Williams in three sets 3-6, 7-5, 6-4, however, Stephens had moved on the the semifinals — and also gained 15,000 more followers.
Stephens’ rise in the sports world is not something that’s new to her family, either. Her father, John Stephens, was a former first-round pick in the 1988 NFL Draft. John went on to win Offensive Rookie of the Year that season, gaining 1,168 yards and scoring four touchdowns on 297 carries for the New England Patriots.
Sloane has followed her father’s footsteps into the sports world and has now become a global sensation. Stephens will face-off against top seed Victoria Azarenka on Thursday morning, for a chance to play in the Australian Open Final.