WTA roundup: Ex-Longhorn Peyton Stearns makes Austin semis

Field Level Media
28 Feb 2026, 10:25 GMT+10

(Photo credit: Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Former University of Texas star Peyton Stearns is enjoying her return to Austin, Texas, as the fourth-seeded player advanced to the semifinals of the ATX Open with a 6-1, 5-7, 7-5 victory over Russia's Oksana Selekhmeteva on Friday.

In a match that featured 14 service breaks (eight by Stearns), the Cincinnati native prevailed in 2 hours, 31 minutes.

Next up for Stearns is Kimberly Birrell, who got past Ajla Tomljanovic 6-3, 6-3 in an all-Australian quarterfinal.

Stearns has qualified for two career finals, losing at Bogota, Colombia, in 2023 and prevailing at Rabat, Morocco, in 2024.

Another U.S. player, Taylor Townsend, will play in the other semifinal. Townsend came from behind to defeat Swiss qualifier Rebeka Masarova 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.

Townsend will take on countrywoman Ashlyn Krueger, who edged China's Yuan Yue, 7-6 (5), 6-4.

Merida Open Akron

Poland's Magdalena Frech upset fourth-seeded Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in the quarterfinals at Merida, Mexico.

The last time Frech reached a tournament semifinal, in 2024 at Guadalajara, Mexico, she emerged with the lone championship of her career.

Frech will oppose Shuai Zhang in the semis after the Chinese player dispatched Andorra's Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva 6-1, 6-3.

Spain's Cristina Bucsa eliminated Turkey's Zeynep Sonmez 6-3, 6-4. Busca's semifinal opponent will be the winner of the Friday night quarterfinal between top-seeded Jasmine Paolini of Italy and Great Britain's Katie Boulter.

--Field Level Media

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