Dubai’s premier tennis event witnessed the continued ascendancy of Croatian prodigy Petra Marcinko as she delivered a commanding performance against seasoned opponent Viktoria Hruncakova during Tuesday’s opening rounds of the 28th Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge.
The 19-year-old phenom, fresh from her championship victory at last weekend’s Fujairah W75 tournament, demonstrated remarkable composure in her 6-4, 6-1 straight-sets triumph over the 2018 tournament finalist. Marcinko’s clinical disposal of the experienced Slovakian required just 75 minutes on Court No. 1, showcasing the technical precision and mental fortitude that has positioned her as one of the WTA Tour’s most promising emerging talents.
Meanwhile, the competition experienced a significant upset as top seed Dalma Galfi withdrew due to a right foot injury while trailing qualifier Tereza Martincova 6-3, 1-2. The injury-related departure marks another twist in the tournament’s narrative, following the unexpected elimination of former doubles world No. 1 Kristina Mladenovic, who fell 6-3, 6-2 to Russia’s Alevtina Ibragimova.
Additional notable performances included British 16-year-old sensation Mika Stojsavljevic, the 2024 US Open girls’ champion, who advanced with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Valentina Ryser. Stojsavljevic now prepares to face third-seeded Austrian Sinja Kraus in what promises to be a compelling generational clash.
Marcinko, who will celebrate her 20th birthday on Thursday, emphasized the strategic importance of this tournament as the final cutoff event before Australian Open qualifying. “Every point matters for my long-term planning,” she stated post-match. “The UAE conditions suit my game perfectly, and I intend to maintain this competitive momentum throughout the week.”
The Croatian junior world No. 1 from 2021 and 2022 Australian Open girls’ champion next faces Britain’s Harriet Dart, who dominated Japan’s Mai Hontama 6-1, 6-1 in her opening match.