American tennis player Peyton Stearns has secured a spot in the Round of 32 at the 2024 China Open, following a convincing victory over Canada's Leylah Fernandez. Stearns, ranked 46th in the world, defeated the 20th-seeded Fernandez in straight sets, 7-5, 6-2, in the Round of 64 on Friday.
The match saw Stearns capitalize on Fernandez's inconsistencies, particularly on her serve. Fernandez committed five double faults and landed only 48% of her first serves, while Stearns made 61.8% of her first serves and kept the Canadian under pressure throughout the match. Stearns converted five of 14 breakpoint opportunities and broke Fernandez five times to seal the victory in 1 hour and 48 minutes.
Upcoming Match Against Anna Kalinskaya
With this win, Stearns advances to the Round of 32 where she will face Anna Kalinskaya, the 14th-ranked player in the world. Kalinskaya, favored to win with odds of -125, recently secured a three-set victory over Hailey Baptiste in the Round of 64, winning 3-6, 7-6, 7-6.
The match between Stearns and Kalinskaya is scheduled for Sunday, September 29, at the National Tennis Center in Beijing. Stearns, who has won 62.5% of her service games and 38.2% of her return games over the past year, will need to maintain her aggressive return game to challenge Kalinskaya. Kalinskaya, with a strong service game winning percentage of 73.6% over the past year, will look to leverage her experience and form to advance in the tournament.
Stearns' victory over Fernandez marks her second win against the Canadian, with the previous win coming at the Rabat Grand Prix in Morocco last season. This win also highlights Stearns' growing form and her ability to compete against higher-ranked opponents.
