Sloane Stephens Coach Darian King: Practice Partner Turned Mentor

June 6, 2026

This article was last updated by Bikram Jirel on June 6, 2026

The American professional tennis player Sloane Stephens and Barbadian Darian King are good friends. Darian is coaching Sloane Stephens, aside from continuing his professional tennis career. 

Born in a family of successful athletes, Sloane began her tennis career at age thirteen, participating in ITF Junior Circuit in 2006.

In 2008, she and her partner Mallory Burdette surprised everyone by reaching the doubles finals of the US Open. 

Her stepfather was a competitive recreational who inspired her to play tennis. She went to the Sierra Sport and Racquet Club to practice games in California, a tennis facility where her stepdad frequently played.

Sloane Stephens At The 2013 Citi Open (Source: Sports Illustrated)

Speaking of her achievements, Sloane has won seven WTA tour singles titles and a Grand Slam. She lifted the US Open trophy, defeating fellow American player  in 2017.

However, her coach, Darian, has not been as fortunate as Stephens in tournaments. He has not been able to win any career titles yet.

However, Darian’s help was crucial for Sloane when she won her seventh WTA Tour singles title in Mexico in 2026.

Sloane Stephens Coach: Darian King

was born to his parents, Myrna and Wesley King, on April 26, 1992, in Bridgetown, Barbados. He grew up with three siblings- a sister and two brothers.

One of his brothers, Christopher, is his head coach. Almost every member of his family has been engaged in one or other form of sports, which motivated him to pursue a career in sports as well.

The Barbadian Tennis Player, Darian King (Source: Visit Barbados)

His dad, Wesley, was a field hockey player, and his mom was skilled at netball. Sadly, she passed away in 2010 due to pancreatic cancer.

King watched and kept information on all sorts of sports as a child. However, his favorite sportsman while growing up was .

Later, when he decided to pursue a professional tennis career, Darian looked up to Gael Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga as his role models.

Moreover, King has been actively participating in international tournaments since 2010.

Although he has had very little success in his adult career, he has reached 22 ITF finals, winning thirteen of them. In 2015, King became the first Barbadian player to qualify for an ATP event.

Sloane is Darian’s Friend, Mentor, And Practice Partner

Despite his slow progress in professional tennis, one thing Darian thinks he has achieved playing games in all these years is his connection with fellow players from various places worldwide.

He is very good friends with many tennis players, including Dustin Brown, Noah Rubin, Frances Tiafoe, etc.

Similarly, he and Sloane knew each other through tennis games and became good friends.

Darian King With Sloane Stephens (Source: Facebook)

Darian and Sloane worked together for nearly two seasons from early 2026 to 2026. During this time, as they practiced together, Darian acted as her coach and hitting partner.

Currently, the former Spanish player Francisco Roig is coaching Sloane. 

Nonetheless, Sloane and Darian are still in touch and are good friends. In fact, Sloane still considers Darian her mentor, and he, too, likes chatting with her about their games.

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Yaman Bhattarai

Yaman Bhattarai is a dedicated writer with a keen interest in exploring the multifaceted world of sports. His articles offer readers a dynamic blend of insightful analysis, captivating storytelling, and cultural commentary that enriches their understanding of the athletes, events, and trends that shape the sporting landscape.

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