Peyton Stearns

Stearns made her WTA Tour main-draw debut at the 2021 Silicon Valley Classic, where she received entry as an alternate into the doubles main draw. She made her major debut as a wildcard at the 2022 US Open.

At the inaugural ATX Open in Austin, Stearns earned her first WTA Tour win as a wildcard over qualifier Katie Boulter in a three-hour marathon. Next, she defeated fellow wildcard player Mirjam Björklund to reach her first WTA Tour quarterfinal, where she lost to Katie Volynets in straight sets. The following week, she made her main-draw debut at the WTA 1000 Indian Wells Open as a wildcard and overcame a set deficit to defeat Rebeka Masarova in the first round, before succumbing to Bianca Andreescu from a set up in the next round.

Stearns reached her first WTA Tour singles final at the Copa Colsanitas, after defeating Rosa Vicens Mas, Elina Avanesyan, Tamara Zidanšek and Kamilla Rakhimova. Though she fell in three sets to defending champion Tatjana Maria in the championship match, her results at the tournament propelled her into the top 100 for the first time, at world No. 89, on April 10. This also ensured Stearns a direct entry into the main draw of the 2023 French Open. Later that month, she reached the final of the LTP Charleston Pro, losing it to compatriot Emma Navarro in three sets.

At the Morocco Open in Rabat, Stearns defeated Panna Udvardy and Leylah Fernandez to reach her third tour quarterfinal. She lost to Sloane Stephens in a third-set tiebreak, despite holding three match points.

Ranked world No. 69 at the French Open, Stearns recorded her first top-50 win, defeating No. 49 Kateřina Siniaková. She immediately followed that up with her first top-20 win, defeating former champion and 17th seed, Jeļena Ostapenko, in three sets. She was defeated by ninth seed Daria Kasatkina, in the third round.

At the US Open, she reached the fourth round defeating Viktoriya Tomova, Clara Tauson and Katie Boulter. As a result, she reached the top 50 at world No. 44 on 11 September 2023.

In Indian Wells, Stearns recorded her second WTA 1000 win over Elisabetta Cocciaretto. She held four match points against world No. 2, Aryna Sabalenka, in the second round but lost the match in the third set tiebreak. On her debut in the main draw at the Miami Open, she also reached the second round with a win over Wang Yafan before losing to Victoria Azarenka.

Stearns won her maiden career title at the Rabat Grand Prix in Morocco, defeating Mayar Sherif in the final. She reached for the second consecutive time the third round at the French Open, with wins over first time major qualifier Lucija Ćirić Bagarić in three sets, and tenth seed Daria Kasatkina.

At the WTA 1000, the Canadian Open in Toronto, she reached the quarterfinals for the first time at this level, defeating Anna Blinkova, and then upsetting seventh seed Madison Keys and 12th seed Victoria Azarenka, both matches by retirement. She lost to third seed and eventual champion Jessica Pegula.

Ranked No. 47 at the US Open, she again reached the third round defeating Lesia Tsurenko and upsetting 12th seed Daria Kasatkina to set up a meeting with 24th seed Donna Vekić which she lost in straight sets.

In February, at the Dubai Tennis Championships, Stearns defeated Ons Jabeur in the first round and then overcame world No. 8 Zheng Qinwen in three sets to record her first win against a top-10 ranked player. She lost in the third round to 12th seed Mirra Andreeva in a match played later on the same day as her encounter with Zheng due to rain interruptions setting the tournament schedule back.

In April, at the Madrid Open, Stearns defeated Kimberly Birrell, 15th seed Amanda Anisimova and qualifier Rebeka Masarova to reach the fourth round, where she lost to world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. At the next WTA 1000, the 2025 Italian Open, Stearns reached back-to-back fourth rounds with an upset over fifth seed Madison Keys. Next she defeated Naomi Osaka to reach her second WTA 1000 quarterfinal and first on clay. Stearns then overcame 16th seed Elina Svitolina to make it through to her first WTA 1000 semifinal, which she lost to sixth seed (and eventual champion) Jasmine Paolini.