The Texan woman in front of her audience

Kaja Juvan really had to dig deep to punch her ticket for this second round, edging out the American Claire Liu at the end of a very tight match (6-4, 7-6). Far from being a walk in the park, the Slovenian showed remarkable mental toughness in the second-set tiebreak (7-1), proving that her baseline game is perfectly tuned to counter aggressive players. She comes up against Stearns with the label of a player capable of breaking down any wall thanks to her patience and her ability to vary her shot placement.

Right-handed, Stearns is one of the big hitters on tour. She has a powerful serve and a devastating forehand that she uses to dictate every rally. Her game is perfectly suited to the hard, fast courts in the United States, and she often trains here! She knows this court inside out. The former college (NCAA) champion feels right at home in Austin. She comes in on a roll after a controlled first round against Wang Xiyu (6-4, 6-2), where her forehand caused havoc. Five aces. The crowd will be there to back the local favorite. I could feel how much they were pushing Townsend today! A real asset!