Unveiling the Route Ahead

The ATX Open singles main draw was made Saturday evening, with Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina installed as the No. 1 seed at a WTA tournament for the first time in her career.

A trio of Americans are also seeded, with Sloane Stephens at No. 2, Danielle Collins at No. 3, and Peyton Stearns at No. 7.

A two-time finalist at WTA events, Kalinina comes to Austin at her career high in the rankings of No. 32.

Stephens returns to Austin after reaching last year’s quarterfinals. She is a seven-time winner on Tour, including a triumph at the 2017 US Open, which helped her reach a career high of No. 3 in the world.

A semifinalist at the inaugural ATX Open, Collins is seeded third this year. The 2022 Australian Open runner-up, Collins was a two-time NCAA singles champion while playing at the University of Virginia.

Each of the top three seeds – Kalinina, Stephens and Collins – will play a qualifier in the opening round.

The seventh seed, Stearns returns to the ATX Open where she won her first WTA Tour match and reached her first quarterfinal in 2023. An All-American for the University of Texas, she led the Longhorns to back-to-back NCAA team titles while also claiming the 2022 singles crown.

Stearns will take on three-time WTA title winner Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in the first round.

Another player with local ties in the field is former Texas state champion Fernanda Contreras who played for Austin’s Westlake High School. A pro since an All-American career at Vanderbilt, Contreras will open her first ATX Open against American Taylor Townsend.

Qualifying concludes Sunday before main draw play begins Monday.