Stearns advances past Jabeur into Dubai second round

American Peyton Stearns defeated Tunisia's Ons Jabeur 7-6, 6-4 in the first round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Monday.

Stearns was down a break at 5-4 in the first set before collecting a straight-sets win over former World No. 2 Jabeur.

Elsewhere, qualifier Moyuka Uchijima notched the first Top 30 win of her career with a 6-3, 6-3 defeat of 2022 champion Jelena Ostapenko, while McCartney Kessler defeated Qatar Open champion Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 6-3 in an all-American first round clash.

Former world no. 1 Victoria Azarenka came from a set and 5-2 down, then 3-0 down in the decider, to defeat Anhelina Kalinina 2-6, 7-6, 6-4, while Denmark's Clara Tauson saved four set points in the first-set tiebreak en route to defeating Rebecca Sramkova 7-6, 6-0.

In other first round matches, wild card and 2024 semifinalist Sorana Cirstea cruised past No. 10 seed Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-4, while Marta Kostyuk registered a 6-3, 6-4 win over qualifier Katerina Siniakova, and Eva Lys overcame Irina-Camelia Begu 5-7, 7-5, 6-3.

There were also wins for Anastasia Potapova who crushed No. 13 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-3, 6-0, and 11th seed Diana Shnaider who eased past Magdalena Frech 6-2, 6-2.