Jovic returns to the Guadalajara final and a career-high No. 13, and will meet Stearns for the title

Iva Jovic will play for a second straight Guadalajara Open presentado por Santander title against a compatriot, after Peyton Stearns beat Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova, the No. 8 seed, 7-6 (7), 6-2 on Saturday night to complete an all-American final.

Jovic, the No. 2 seed, had booked her place the previous evening by beating Spain’s Cristina Bucsa, the No. 6 seed, 6-4, 6-1, a result that carries the 18-year-old to a new career high of No. 13 next week, up from No. 14. The win was also her 36th at WTA level in 2026, the joint-most of any player this season alongside Iga Swiatek, and the clearest measure yet of her breakthrough year.

On her way to the final, Jovic dropped a single set to nobody: she beat Poland’s Magdalena Frech, the No. 7 seed, 6-2, 6-1, and Zeynep Sonmez 7-6 (5), 6-4. Bucsa, ranked No. 40, had been the tournament’s other disruptor, taking out Czech No. 3 seed Sara Bejlek 6-0, 6-4, Hungary’s Panna Udvardy 6-4, 6-4 and Canadian wildcard Bianca Andreescu 6-4, 6-3.

Stearns, ranked No. 55, has spent the week beating better-ranked opposition and did it again in the semifinal, edging a first-set tiebreak against Samsonova before running away with the second. The American had earlier beaten wildcard Sloane Stephens 7-6 (6), 6-4, French No. 4 seed Diane Parry 6-2, 7-5 and Colombia’s Emiliana Arango 6-3, 6-2.

Samsonova, ranked No. 47, leaves Mexico with the best win of her week behind her: the Russian had knocked out Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, the top seed, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5, after surviving American Kayla Day 7-6 (4), 2-6, 7-6 (5) and beating Frenchwoman Elsa Jacquemot 7-6 (6), 6-2.