Iva Jovic successfully defended her Guadalajara Open title by defeating fellow American Peyton Stearns 6-4, 6-2 in the final on Sunday. The second‑seeded Serbian did not lose a set during the week and finished the match in one hour and 26 minutes.
The final began tightly, with both players holding serve through the first eight games and neither creating a break‑point opportunity. Jovic broke Stearns in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead and closed the set after 46 minutes.
Momentum swung firmly in Jovic’s favor as she broke Stearns early in the second set, extending her advantage to 2-0 and then 5-0. After a second break in the seventh game, the score stood 5-2. Serving for the championship, Jovic saved match points before sealing the win with a backhand winner down the line.
The victory marks Jovic’s second consecutive WTA title at Guadalajara, having first won the event last year at age 17. For Stearns, the loss ended a strong run that included a semifinal win over Liudmila Samsonova and a title at the ATX Open earlier in the season. Jovic’s repeat performance underscores her strong connection to the Mexican tournament and adds another title to her growing résumé.
