Peyton Stearns defeated France’s Lois Boisson 6-1, 6-3 in 65 minutes as first-round action got underway Tuesday at the Mutua Madrid Open.
Stearns’ reward is a matchup with defending champ and No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, a three-time winner of the WTA 1000 clay-court tournament in the Spanish capital.
Stearns never trailed in her opener, saving both break points she faced and converting four of her six break chances against Boisson.
Fellow American Venus Williams was not as fortunate against 20-year-old Spaniard Kaitlin Quevedo, who prevailed 6-2, 6-4 in one hour and 43 minutes. It was the 10th straight singles loss for Williams, 45, an invited player who was competing on clay for the first time since Roland Garros in 2021.
Williams, whose sister Serena won this event in 2012 and 2013, won her first WTA title in 1998 — eight years before her opponent was born.
“I was so surprised,” Quevedo said in her on-court interview. “I didn’t know that was going to happen. I’m just really happy that I was able to play against such a legend on this amazing court for the first time. It was a privilege, and I’m just really happy to be here.”
Quevedo, who turned 20 on Feb. 13, is the youngest Spanish player to win a main-draw match at this event. Garbine Muguruza (20 years, 209 days) in 2014 was the previous youngest.
Of the 10 singles matches played Tuesday, only one went to three sets. Austria’s Julia Grabher outlasted Spain’s Paula Badosa 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-0 in two hours and 32 minutes.
Camila Osorio of Columbia needed only 65 minutes to complete a 6-0, 6-3 win against Russia’s Anastasia Zakharova. Poland’s Magda Linette defeated Robin Montgomery 6-4, 6-3. Hungary’s Anna Bonder posted a 6-2, 6-3 win against Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic.
Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro was a swift 6-1, 6-1 winner against Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia. Laura Siegemund of Germany eliminated Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu 6-4, 6-0. Petra Marcinko of Croatia earned a 6-0, 7-5 victory over Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva of Andorra, and Czech Laura Samson won 6-4, 6-2 against Germany’s Tatjana Maria.
–Field Level Media
