Jim Costa: “About a month ago, we had the United States tennis championship, and I would be remiss if I didn't congratulate Sloane…”

“About a month ago, we had the United States tennis championship, and I would be remiss if I didn't congratulate Sloane Stephens on her winning the U.S. Open in tennis earlier. {time} 1100 Many of you may not realize, but she came from the San Joaquin Valley, from the area that I represent in California, and we are proud of her. She did, after all, start playing her tennis in Fresno, where she lived until she was 10 years old. But her win makes many of us in America proud, as she showed the world a level of hard work, determination, and grit rarely seen on the tennis court. Ms. Stephens had to fight her way back to the court after a stress fracture and surgery in January that took her out of training and completely off of her feet and off of the tennis court. And then she came back--and, wow, did she come back--to beat the world's best, including one of her heroines, Venus Williams, to become the Women's Singles U.S. Open champion. We are so proud of you. I also want to thank Ms. Stephens for all that she has done in the valley because she has never forgotten where she came from, where her mother raised her, contributing to the tennis programs at Edison- Bethune Charter Academy in Fresno, which introduces young children to the sport of tennis, and also to help expand tennis programs at other local elementary and middle schools throughout the Fresno County Office of Education.…”