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Sloane Stephens is a true professional. She can hit a tennis ball in ways few of us can ever dream, and she knows how important her physical and mental well-being is, so she puts a massive focus on recovery and self-care. We got the chance to chat with the athlete at her home in Boston, right as she was beginning serious preparations for the Australian Open in January, and we talked about everything from skin-care routines to creature comforts on the road, as she’s traveling up to 40 weeks out of the year.
Professional athletes, and particularly tennis players, are known to have pre-match rituals, and Stephens is no different. She has a morning and nighttime routine, as well as a tournament routine. “When I start a tournament, I like to eat the same thing all the time. That’s my one superstition that I do often. I make everyone that’s with me, including my mom, my coaches, we all have to eat at the same place. And it’s a very bad habit, but that’s one thing that if you are coming to the tournament with me you know that we’re going to be eating consistently at the same place. So you better check out the menu. I always gravitate towards Indian food and Korean BBQ.”
As if being an elite athlete wasn’t impressive enough, she also knows good products. Though she talked about the items she’s using at home in freezing cold Boston, as a California-based writer, I found myself adding everything to her shopping cart. We were also fascinated by her serious commitment to recovery, which makes sense when your physicality is part of your job. From adjusting her skin-care routine based on the climate of her tournaments to lymphatic drainage and cryotherapy, Stephens is incredibly diligent and in-tune with what she needs to feel her best, and we could all take a page from her book. Keep on reading to shop all her must have products.