Peyton Stearns wins ITF 25K Florence (S.C.) singles title

Monday, October 10

Florence, South Carolina

TBA

University of Texas

USTA Pro Circuit Florence

Peyton Stearns

Peyton Stearns wins ITF 25K Florence (S.C.) singles title

10.16.2022 | Women's Tennis

Former Longhorn claims her third career ITF 25K singles championship and second in the last three weeks.

FLORENCE, S.C. — Former University of Texas star Peyton Stearns posted a three-set win over Alexandra Vecic to capture the singles title at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) pro circuit 25K tournament on Sunday afternoon at the Floyd Florence Tennis Center. This marked the third career ITF singles title for Stearns and second in the last three weeks, as she also claimed the ITF 25K singles crown in Austin on Oct. 2.

In Sunday's championship match, Stearns rallied for a 6-7 (4-7), 6-2, 7-5 victory against Vecic. In the decisive third set, Stearns battled back from a 4-1 deficit to win three-straight games and even the set at 4-4. After Vecic held serve to take a 5-4 lead, Stearns saved four match points to hold serve and square the set at 5-5. Stearns followed with a service break of Vecic and closed out the match by holding serve at-love to clinch the title.

Stearns, who entered the week at a career-best No. 262 in the current WTA rankings (Oct. 10), won a total of five matches in a six-day span (Oct. 11-16) in her run through the tournament's 32-player main draw. She posted straight-set victories in four of her five victories.

A three-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) All-American (Singles in 2021 and 2022, Doubles in 2022), Stearns led the Longhorns to back-to-back NCAA team championships in 2021 and 2022 and became the first player in program history to claim the NCAA Singles title. This past season, Stearns became the first player in program history to win the Honda Sport Award for Tennis and the first Longhorn in any sport to be recognized as a Honda Sport Award recipient since Courtney Okolo (Track and Field) in 2016. Stearns also was named the ITA National Player of the Year, an honor given annually to the Men's and Women's players who end the season ranked No. 1 in the final National Singles rankings.

Stearns concluded the 2022 season with a 33-2 overall record in singles play. She paired with partner Allura Zamarripa on the doubles court and earned ITA Doubles All-America honors this season. The duo advanced to the NCAA Doubles quarterfinals and was No. 10 in the final ITA National Doubles rankings. Stearns was also tabbed the 2022 Big 12 Player of the Year, the Big 12 Championship Most Outstanding Player and the Big 12 Individual Champion at No. 1 Singles.

As a freshman in 2021, Stearns earned ITA Singles All-America honors. She completed the season with an 18-8 singles mark, including a 13-4 mark in dual-match play at the No. 1 singles spot, and was tabbed No. 13 in the final ITA National Singles rankings. While leading Texas to the 2021 NCAA team title, Stearns was named the Most Outstanding Player at the 2021 NCAA Women's Team Championship and the 2021 Big 12 Freshman of the Year. During her two seasons at Texas, Stearns compiled a 51-10 overall record in singles and a 42-17 mark in doubles.

Peyton Stearns' run to the ITF 25K Florence (S.C.) singles title (Oct. 11-16)

Date	Round	Opponent	Result
Oct. 11	Round of 32	WTA #670 Eleana Yu	W, 6-0, 6-2
Oct. 13	Round of 16	WTA #777 Hibah Shaikh	W, 6-0, 6-1
Oct. 14	Quarterfinals	WTA #336 Ana Sofia Sanchez	W, 6-2, 6-1
Oct. 15	Semifinals	WTA #566 Tiphanie Fiquet	W, 6-3, 6-1
Oct. 16	Championship	WTA #549 Alexandra Vecic	W, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2, 7-5