Croatian teenager Petra Marcinko demonstrated her prowess on the court today, securing a decisive 6-4, 6-1 victory against 2018 runner-up Viktoria Hruncakova. This match was part of the second day of the 28th Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge, where the competition saw the loss of top seed Dalma Galfi due to injury.
Marcinko, who will celebrate her 20th birthday on Thursday, showcased her skills against the experienced Slovakian player, completing the match in just 75 minutes on court No. 1. Her strong performance continues to position her as a key competitor in this tournament.
Also exiting the competition was Kristina Mladenovic, the former world number one in doubles. She fell in straight sets to Alevtina Ibragimova, losing 6-3, 6-2 in a swift 73 minutes. In other developments, 16-year-old Mika Stojsavljevic from Great Britain advanced after defeating Valentina Ryser in a match that ended 6-4, 6-3, both players having qualified for the tournament.
Stojsavljevic, the junior girls’ singles champion at the 2024 US Open, is set to face third seed Sinja Kraus of Austria in the next round. Meanwhile, Ibragimova’s upcoming match will be against sixth seed Linda Fruhvirtova on Wednesday.
Petra Marcinko, previously ranked as the world number one on the ITF Junior Circuit in 2021, recently clinched the Fujairah W75 tournament with a solid win against Ibragimova. This week, she demonstrated her adaptation to the UAE climate, showcasing her endurance despite Hruncakova’s formidable experience as a past finalist at the event.
In an unfortunate turn, Dalma Galfi, the top seed, had to retire during her match against Tereza Martincova after trailing 1-2 in the second set, having lost the first set 6-3.
Reflecting on her performance, Marcinko acknowledged the challenge posed by Hruncakova. “It was tough out there. She’s a good player, and I am glad I managed to give my best and move to the next round,” she said.
Marcinko emphasized the importance of this tournament for her long-term goals, particularly as it serves as a cut-off event before the 2026 Australian Open. She expressed a sense of nostalgia about competing in Fujairah, where she won a junior title years ago, and hopes to extend her success into Dubai.
Ending her 2021 season as the top-ranked girl, Marcinko has continued to validate her reputation on the WTA Tour. Her impressive performance against Hruncakova highlighted her readiness to compete at a high level.
The match was closely contested in the first set, with both players securing breaks. However, Hruncakova’s double faults ultimately cost her the set. Marcinko took advantage, breaking twice in the second set to establish a significant lead, wrapping up the match in an hour and 15 minutes. She will next face Great Britain’s Harriet Dart, who triumphed over Japanese qualifier Mai Hontama with a dominant score of 6-1, 6-1.
As Marcinko prepares for the upcoming challenges, she remains focused on maintaining her momentum. “This week is going to get tougher, but my goal is to keep winning and see how far I can go,” she remarked.
Tereza Martincova, who is making her return after a lengthy injury layoff, expressed mixed feelings about advancing due to Galfi’s misfortune. “Advancing is nice, but I would have preferred to win properly. It’s unfortunate to see a fellow player get injured, but now I need to focus on my own game,” she stated.
The results from the day include Alevtina Ibragimova defeating Kristina Mladenovic 6-3, 6-2; Sofya Lansere overcoming Olivia Gadecki 7-5, 6-2; and Sinja Kraus winning against Sara Saito 6-3, 6-4, amongst other matches.