American teenager Ashlyn Krueger was one of three competitors to notch upsets of seeded players on the first day of main-draw play at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Krueger battled past No.16 seed Caroline Garcia of France 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in just under two hours on Sunday. It is Krueger's first career match-win in the main draw of a WTA 1000 event, and only her second victory over a Top 25 player (her first was over Victoria Azarenka at s-Hertogenbosch last year).
The 19-year-old Krueger, currently ranked World No.74, has seen her profile rise over the past 12 months. She was ranked No.155 at this time last year but finished 2023 strongly, winning her first WTA singles title in Osaka.
The teen made the most of her Dubai main-draw wild card by ousting former World No.4 Garcia from a set down on Sunday. Krueger finished the match with five more winners and 10 fewer unforced errors than the Frenchwoman.
Seeded players finished Sunday 0-3, as Beatriz Haddad Maia and Ekaterina Alexandrova were also eliminated at the WTA 1000 event.
World No.24 Jasmine Paolini of Italy, one of the highest-ranked unseeded players, fought past No.11 seed Haddad Maia of Brazil 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 in a hair under two hours.
Haddad Maia was a point away from a 6-4, 5-2 lead, but Paolini got out of that jam, then won 10 consecutive games to wrap up a comeback win. Paolini, who reached her first Grand Slam Round of 16 at this year's Australian Open, grabbed the ninth Top 20 win of her career.
Qualifier Magdalena Frech of Poland toppled No.14 seed Alexandrova 7-6(2), 6-3. Having lost her first 23 matches against Top 20 opposition, Frech has now grabbed two Top 20 wins this year. Her first came over Garcia at the 2024 Australian Open.
Highlights: Frech def. Alexandrova
Like Paolini, Frech posted her first Grand Slam Round of 16 showing at this year's Australian Open, beating Garcia en route before losing to Coco Gauff. Frech is currently ranked No.52, one spot lower than her career-high ranking, which came directly after her Melbourne run.
