Jovic retains Guadalajara crown with straight-sets win over Stearns
Guadalajara, Sep 20 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) Iva Jovic completed another memorable week in Guadalajara by successfully defending her title, defeating fellow American Peyton Stearns 6-4, 6-2 in the final of the Guadalajara Open on Sunday (IST).
Returning to the tournament where she announced herself on the WTA Tour a year ago, the second-seeded Jovic produced another commanding performance to claim her second WTA Tour title. The American teenager did not drop a set throughout the week and capped her campaign with a clinical victory over Stearns in one hour and 26 minutes.
The final remained closely contested through the opening stages, with both players holding serve through the first eight games. Neither was able to create a break-point opportunity as Jovic and Stearns traded games in a tight opening set.
The decisive shift came in the ninth game. Jovic finally found the opening she needed, breaking Stearns to move 5-4 ahead. The second seed then held her nerve on serve to close out the set after 46 minutes, taking a crucial advantage into the second.
The momentum stayed firmly with Jovic from there. She immediately put Stearns under pressure at the start of the second set, breaking in the opening game before consolidating the advantage to move 2-0 ahead. That stretch extended Jovic’s run to five consecutive games dating back to the opening set.
Stearns attempted to halt the slide, but Jovic continued to dictate the crucial exchanges. Another break in the seventh game put the defending champion within touching distance of the trophy at 5-2.
Serving for the championship, Jovic needed three match points before finally sealing the victory. She finished the contest in style, firing a backhand winner down the line to complete her successful title defence.
The triumph marks another significant milestone for Jovic, who captured her maiden WTA Tour title in Guadalajara last year at the age of 17. Twelve months on, she has returned to the same venue and repeated the feat, this time without surrendering a set.
For Stearns, the defeat ended an impressive run to the final. The American had reached the championship match after overcoming Liudmila Samsonova in the semifinals and was seeking her second title of the 2026 season following her triumph at the ATX Open in February.
Instead, it was Jovic who once again left Guadalajara with the trophy, reinforcing her remarkable connection with the Mexican tournament and adding a second title to her growing WTA resume.
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