'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Match Details
Fixture: (WC) Sloane Stephens vs (Q) Petra Martic
Date: February 25, 2025
Tournament: Merida Open Akron 2024
Round: First Round (Round of 32)
Venue: Yucatan Country Club, Merida, Mexico
Category: WTA 500
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $1,064,510
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports
Sloane Stephens vs Petra Martic preview
One of the first-round fixtures at the 2025 Merida Open will feature former World No.3 Sloane Stephens taking on former World No. 14 Petra Martic. The winner of the match is slated to face top seed Emma Navarro in the next round.
Trending
For the former US Open champion, 2025 has started on a dismal note as she has lost all her matches so far. Stephens lost 7-5, 4-6, 4-6 against compatriot Ann Li in the opening round of the ASB Classic, which was followed by a 5-7, 1-6 loss against the same opponent in the opening round of the Hobart International. Her third loss straight loss came at the hands of Aryna Sabalenka who defeated her 6-3, 6-2 at the Australian Open.
Meanwhile, Petra Martic's start to the 2025 season has been average. The Croatian reached the quarterfinal of the Linz Open as a qualifier, losing 6-3, 2-6, 2-6 against eventual champion Ekaterina Alexandrova. She entered the Australian Open main draw as a lucky loser but lost against Jaqueline Cristian in the opening round.
At the Merida Open, the Croatian player won both her qualifying rounds to enter the main draw. She won 7-5, 6-4 against Lia Karatancheva and then followed it up with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Hanna Chang.
Sloane Stephens vs Petra Martic head-to-head
Stephens has a 3-0 lead in the head-to-head against Martic. The last time these two players met, the American won 6-4, 6-3 at the 2019 Madrid Open.
Sloane Stephens vs Petra Martic odds
(Odds have been sourced from BetMGM)
Sloane Stephens vs Petra Martic prediction
Stephens has reached eight hard-court career finals in her career, winning six titles. The crowning moment of her career came on this very surface when she won the title at the 2017 US Open. She also has a WTA 1000 title on the surface, having won the 2018 Miami Open. Her last title on the surface came at the 2022 Abierto Zappopan, where she won 7-5, 1-6, 6-2 against Marie Bouzkova in the final.
Petra Martic has yet to win a hard-court title in her career, with both her career titles coming on clay. The Croatian has reached two hard-court finals in her career thus far, the last of which was at the 2023 Linz Open. On that occasion, she lost 3-6, 1-6 to Anastasi Potapova.
Track record and head-to-head give Stephens the advantage but current form makes the Croatian player the favorite to win the match.
Pick- Martic to win in straight sets
