On Mar. 9, 22-year-old American Peyton Stearns took center stage at Stadium 1. She was about to take on No. 2 seeded Aryna Sabalenka at the self-proclaimed “Tennis Paradise” in the Indian Wells desert.
Little did the 15,000-person crowd know that Stearns was about to take one of the best players in the world to the brink. For two hours and 55 minutes, spectators held onto the edge of their seats as they witnessed three sets filled with tense emotions, prolonged rallies, and countless break points.
Despite the heartbreaking loss, Stearns became a name that echoed in my mind and piqued my curiosity about the player who nearly beat Sabalenka – two-time Australian Open champion and world No. 2 – at Indian Wells.
Stearns’ Journey Thus Far
Stearns was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Oct. 8, 2001. She began playing tennis at age eight and eventually attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she represented the Longhorns for two seasons. Stearns would go on to win the NCAA Division 1 Women’s Singles title, becoming the first player in program history to do so. She also was a key cog in bringing home back-to-back NCAA team titles for the Longhorns.
Following a four-month injury in her right foot, Stearns decided to become a pro in 2022. Since then, she has reached a career-high ranking of No. 43. In 2023, Stearns reached her first WTA final in Bogota, secured her first WTA 1000-match win at Indian Wells, made a third-round run at Roland Garros and second-week run at the US Open.
A Night to Remember on Stadium 1
On a chilly desert night at the BNP Paribas Open, Stearns was about to face two-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka in front of a packed crowd.
The match began to forecast what would become a nearly three-hour clash between the two players, as a tiebreak would determine the winner of the first set. At 6(6)-6(2), Stearns serve drew an unforced error from Sabalenka to give the American the first set. The crowd began to roar as Stearns held up her first in celebration after a 58-minute set victory.
This wouldn’t be the end of the entertaining action, as the two players prevailed with their quick serves and defense mechanisms that prolonged the rallies between points. After losing the second set 2-6, the third set would ultimately determine if Stearns was about to make one of the biggest upsets at the tournament. She was not going to go down without a fight – and she delivered.
Stearns would go on to have not one but FOUR match points in the third set. The pair would battle through a series of breakpoints and match points before reaching a deciding tiebreak.
Ultimately, Sabalenka was able to work through four saved match points and an injury scare, prevailing over Stearns 6-7(2), 6-2, 7-6(6). Sabalenka recalled a conversation she had with Stearns at the net.
“She’s an unbelievable player. She played crazy tennis. She said at the net, ‘I actually had you.’ She was right,” Sabalenka said in a post-match interview.
The crowd applauded loudly as Stearns exited Stadium 1. Stearns had illuminated what she is capable of against the best in the sport.
What does Stearns’ future hold?
Like other notable national collegiate winners – such as Ben Shelton –Stearns is a player notably making her way through professional tennis. As the rise of collegiate-turned-pro players make their mark on the tennis world, we can foresee a bright future for players who choose to take this route to the professional level.
For Stearns, her effort against Sabalenka may only be the beginning of what we can anticipate from her future performances as the 2024 season continues.
Main Photo Credit: Mikala Compton/American-Statesman/USA TODAY NETWORK
