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<\/p>\nDays after receiving the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award at the ESPY Awards, former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens paid a special compliment to Taylor Fritz, the world\u2019s No. 1-ranked U.S. male player.<\/p>\n
What Did Sloane Stephens Say About Taylor Fritz at the ESPYs?<\/p>\n
The Americans posed side by side at the ESPYs, and Stephens later posted the picture on her Instagram. Fritz also reposted the story.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe besties you never knew you needed,\u201d Stephens wrote in her Instagram story, tagging Fritz. Stephens posted several pictures from the event, with a special shout-out to the stunning red dress she donned.<\/p>\n
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\u201cRed called,\u201d wrote the American. \u201cI answered.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Fritz is coming off a massively successful grass-court campaign, which saw him win two titles and reach the semifinals of Wimbledon, where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz<\/a>.<\/p>\n On Wednesday, Stephens became the first tennis player to receive the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award at the ESPYs for her philanthropic work with her foundation. The award was named after boxing legend Muhammad Ali in 2017, a year after his death.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m so honored to be here tonight, to accept this award in the name of someone who meant so much to all of us,\u201d Stephens said in her acceptance speech.<\/p>\n She later posted on Instagram, \u201cThis isn\u2019t just about me, it\u2019s about the kids we show up for, the work we believe in, and the future we\u2019re building. One opportunity at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n Mia Parker, one of the Sloane Stephens Foundation\u2019s beneficiaries, attended the ESPYs with the tennis star.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I first met Mia, she was nine years old, this tiny powerhouse with a backhand like she\u2019d been playing forever,\u201d Stephens said of the surprise guest. \u201cWhat I didn\u2019t know then was that we were starting a journey together.\u201d<\/p>\n With support from the Sloane Stephens Foundation, Parker competed in national junior tournaments and earned a tennis scholarship to attend Clark Atlanta University.<\/p>\n