Stearns and Andreeva Triumph in Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

Dubai, United Arab Emirates — Peyton Stearns and Mirra Andreeva advanced to the second round of the WTA 1000 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Monday with impressive victories. Stearns, representing the United States, defeated Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur 7-6(6), 6-4 on Center Court.

This match marked the first encounter between Stearns and Jabeur. Stearns demonstrated resilience by overcoming a late break deficit in the first set, which ultimately went to a tiebreak. After converting on her fourth break point, she took the first set after 63 minutes of play. Despite Jabeur’s attempts to secure the set while serving at 5-4, she could not reach set point.

In the second set, Jabeur, a former World No. 2, struggled with physical issues, requiring multiple medical time-outs for her left leg. Stearns capitalized on Jabeur’s difficulties, taking an early lead at 2-1. Jabeur fought hard to reclaim her serve, pushing through an intense game but ultimately couldn’t convert two break points. Stearns held her composure, saving one last break point at 5-4 and closing out the match with a powerful forehand.

“It was pretty tough today, I wasn’t 100 percent,” Jabeur said following the match. “But yeah, been there, trying my best. I just didn’t want to just retire. I wanted to try more and see how it goes.”

Stearns’ victory elevates her ranking to No. 46 in the world, and she aims for her first win against a Top 10 player when she faces the No. 7 seed, Zheng Qinwen, on Tuesday. Stearns, the 2022 NCAA singles champion from the University of Texas, has previously faced challenges against top-tier competitors, holding a 0-10 record against the Top 10 before this match.

In the second match of the night, No. 12 seed Andreeva secured her spot in the next round with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Elina Avanesyan, completing the match in just 61 minutes. At 17 years old, Andreeva stands out as the only teenager in the Top 100 of the PIF WTA Rankings.

Andreeva’s match showcased her dominance, winning an impressive 70 percent of Avanesyan’s second-service points, and converting six of seven break points. Currently ranked No. 44, Avanesyan is close to her career-high ranking, but has struggled against Andreeva in their past encounters.

Andreeva will next face 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, against whom she holds a previous win on the clay courts of Madrid last year. This matchup is anticipated as both players look to continue their success in the tournament.