A breakup is happening in the sports world. Soccer pro Jozy Altidore and tennis champion Sloane Stephens are getting a divorce.
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The couple announced the news with a post on Instagram Stories. They did not provide many details and asked for privacy as they ended their four-year marriage.
"Jozy and I have decided to end our marriage," Stephens wrote. "With peace, I am navigating this transition with mutual respect and kindly ask for privacy during this time. Thank you for your love, understanding and continued support."'
(L-R) Sloane Stephens and Jozy Altidore attend The 2021 Met Gala Celebrating In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on Sept. 13, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/MG21/Getty Images)
The two professional athletes first met back in their younger days. They attended Boca Prep International School. Altidore was two grades ahead of Stephens, who ultimately moved away.
The two did not reconnect until 2016. Although according to Vogue, they kept tabs on each other through social media.
The fateful meeting took place at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. They bumped into each other during a day filled with media obligations.
"I was doing a media scrum in the hallway during a US Mens National team camp," Altidore told Vogue. "Sloane was there training for Fed Cup in Hawaii.
"Sloane turned the corner while having a loud conversation on FaceTime. We locked eyes and started talking during the scrum. We exchanged contacts and went to dinner after my game versus Iceland. The rest was history."
Altidore proposed to Stephens in 2019 after surprising her at an art gallery. They married on New Year's Day in 2022 in a ceremony at St. Regis Bal Harbour in Miami Beach, Florida.
Altidore, a second-round pick in the 2006 MLS Draft, spent 18 seasons playing soccer. He suited up for nine clubs across six leagues while primarily competing in North America.
This includes some stints with the New York Bulls, Toronto FC, Hull City, Villarreal, and Sunderland. He scored 123 goals and 29 assists while on the pitch.
Stephens started playing tennis at the age of nine. She has gone on to enjoy success in the highly competitive sport while working with multiple coaches. Her stat line includes eight singles title.
She represented the United States in the 2016 Olympic Games, she was part of the US Fed Cup Team between 2012-2014, and she won a Grand Slam title at the 2017 US Open.
