Sloane Stephens named finalist for Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award

Sloane Stephens is famously passionate about philanthropy and giving back—and now, her foundation’s work is getting a national spotlight at The Espys.

The American player was listed among the finalists of this year’s Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award, which recognizes athletes “whose continuous, demonstrated leadership has created a measured positive impact on their community” through sports.

Read More: Sloane Stephens’ $30,000 Doc & Glo Scholarship is back during Black History Month

The nomination recognized her work through the Sloane Stephens Foundation, which she launched back in 2013 to promote diversity in tennis—and to date has provided opportunities for over 10,000 minority youth annually to play. The Foundation supports youth development through free programming, educational support, and mental health resources within the Compton Unified School District and communities in South Florida, Haiti, and South Africa.

“Honored to be named a finalist! Proud of the work we continue to do (at the Sloane Stephens Foundation),” the player shared to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Stephens also offers Doc & Glo Scholarships, which she created in honor of her grandparents Dr. Noel Smith (“Doc”) and Gloria (“Glo”) in 2022. This year’s $30,000 fund aims to support six students attending an HBCU or pursuing a career in health care.

“It’s a tribute to Doc & Glo, who believed deeply in the power of education and left a lasting legacy of community service and leadership,” Stephens announced in March.

Stephens was recognized alongside basketball player CJ McCollum of the New Orleans Pelicans, baseball player Anthony Rizzo of the New York Yankees and the Maui surfing community in the wake of last year’s devastating wildfires. It’s the second time that the American has been nominated for the award, having also landed on the shortlist in 2019.

Former winners include Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors, Nelson Cruz of the Minnesota Twins, and Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals. Last year’s winners were the philanthropic sports power couple Jrue Holiday of the Milwaukee Bucks and Lauren Holiday of the U.S. women's national soccer team.

The award will be presented at The Espys, which will air live on ABC on July 11 at 8 p.m. ET.