By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, October 31, 2023
Peyton Stearns has always been a devoted team player.
Next week, Stearns will be representing Team USA.
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World No. 48 Peyton Stearns steps in for Madison Keys, who withdrew from the team, on the United States squad that will play next week's Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Seville, Spain.
Stearns joins Sloane Stephens, Danielle Collins, Sofia Kenin and Taylor Townsend on the American team.
The 22-year-old Stearns reached her first WTA singles final this April in Bogota and rose to a career-high ranking of No. 43 in September.
A three-time all-American at the University of Texas, Stearns made history as the first player in Texas history to win the NCAA singles title, which she captured in the spring of 2022. Stearns became the first woman since Nicole Gibbs in 2013 to win the NCAA singles and team titles in the same year.
Stearns cites the success of two-time NCAA singles champion Danielle Collins, who reached the 2022 Australian Open final and a career-high rank of No. 7 as a positive influence in encouraging her to pursue a pro career.
At Roland Garros last summer, Stearns knocked off a pair of former French Open singles and doubles champions defeating Jelena Ostapenko and Katerina Siniakova.
The 5'8" Stearns reached the US Open fourth round last month, pushing Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova to three sets before bowing.
The United States opens its Finals campaign in Seville on Thursday, November 9, with a Group-stage matchup vs. Switzerland, at 4 p.m. local time, and conclude Group play vs. the Czech Republic on Friday, November 10, at 4 p.m. local time. The Group winner of those three nations will advance to Saturday's semifinals.
The championship tie is Sunday, November 12.
Photo credit: Getty