Zheng Qinwen Faces Peyton Stearns in Dubai Tennis Championships Showdown

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Seventh-seeded Zheng Qinwen will go head-to-head with the USA’s Peyton Stearns in the second round of the 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships on February 19. The match will take place at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre, where both players look to secure a critical victory in front of a global audience.

Zheng, the reigning WTA Finals runner-up, has had a rocky start to the 2025 season, with a current win-loss record of 1-2. Last month, she exited the Australian Open in the second round, struggling with fitness against Germany’s Laura Siegemund. Following that, her journey in Doha ended abruptly at the hands of former World No. 2 Ons Jabeur, who won in straight sets 6-4, 6-2.

In an intriguing twist, Stearns recently defeated Jabeur in the first round of this tournament, showcasing a strong performance by overcoming the Tunisian 7-6(6), 6-4. This victory improved Stearns’ main draw record to 6-5 for the year, as she aims for her first back-to-back wins in WTA tournaments this season.

This matchup marks the first encounter between Zheng and Stearns on the WTA Tour, adding further excitement as fans anticipate how the untested rivalry will unfold.

According to betting odds sourced from BETMGM, Zheng is a strong favorite at -250, while Stearns holds odds of +190. These reflect the confidence in Zheng’s capacity to advance through the tournament, especially given her recent singles rankings.

After a stellar performance leading to a career-high ranking of World No. 5, Zheng’s recent early exits have heightened the stakes. If she loses to Stearns, her ranking could potentially drop further. She has previously competed in Dubai, where she reached the second round in 2023 and the quarterfinals the following year, tallying an overall 3-2 record at the venue.

Conversely, Stearns, currently ranked No. 46 in the world, could also benefit from a win, as it could elevate her ranking back to No. 43. Last year marked her debut at this tournament, where she won her first-round match before falling to 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova.

As anticipation builds, both players will look to harness momentum and clinch victory in what promises to be an engaging match. Predictions have suggested a contested battle, with expectations leaning toward Zheng managing to secure a win.

The match is set for Wednesday at 2:00 AM ET, and viewers can catch the action live on Tennis Channel in the USA and Sky Sports in the UK.