Dubai: Young Croatian Petra Marcinko emerged victorious at the 28th Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge by defeating veteran Russian Vera Zvonareva with a score of 6-3, 6-3 in the final held at the Habtoor Grand Resort.
According to Emirates News Agency, Marcinko, aged 20, recently claimed victory at the inaugural Fujairah W75 Championships. Her previous notable achievements include winning consecutive tournaments in Fujairah and Dubai in 2019 while competing in the ITF Junior Circuit. Remarkably, she is the only player to replicate such success at these locations six years later.
Following her latest triumph, Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, Chairman of the organising committee, honored Marcinko as the new champion. The ceremony was attended by prominent figures such as Ahmed Abdul Malik, Vice President of the UAE Tennis Federation, Nasser Al Marzooki, General Secretary of the UAE Tennis Federation, and Noura Badawi, Tournament Director.
Marcinko's victory at the Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge concluded a successful 2025 season for her. She began the year with her maiden WTA 125 title at the 2025 ATV Tennis Open in Rome. Her success continued in the United States, where she won the Landisville Challenge and Tyler Challenge in August and October, respectively. Her achievements were further solidified by her triumph at the Fujairah W75 event at the end of November, culminating in her latest win at the Habtoor Grand Resort.
