Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge stayed in the spotlight as Croatian teenager Petra Marcinko continued her strong form in Dubai. The rising star kept her winning momentum with a straight-set victory.
Marcinko, who turns 20 on December 4, defeated 2018 runner-up Viktoria Hruncakova 6-4, 6-1. She finished the match in 75 minutes with solid baseline play. The young Croatian entered the tournament with confidence after winning the Fujairah W75 title last week. Her recent run shows she is becoming a key name in tennis.
The competition also saw an early exit for top seed Dalma Galfi. She retired with a right-foot injury while trailing Tereza Martincova. Another major name, Kristina Mladenovic, also went out after losing in straight sets to Alevtina Ibragimova. British teenager Mika Stojsavljevic continued her good form with a 6-4, 6-3 win.
Marcinko said the match was tough but she was happy to advance. She added that the points from this week matter for her plans ahead of the 2026 Australian Open. The Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge remains a key stop for players hoping to improve their rankings.
In the second set, Marcinko broke twice and stayed in control. Her next match will be against Great Britain’s Harriet Dart, who earlier beat Mai Hontama 6-1, 6-1. The Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge continues to deliver exciting matches as young players push for strong finishes.
