Iva Jovic has lifted the Guadalajara trophy again. The 18-year-old American defeated compatriot Peyton Stearns 6-4, 6-2 in 1 hour and 26 minutes in the final on Saturday, September 19, 2026, winning the Mexican WTA 500 for a second consecutive year. It is her second tour-level singles title, with both coming at the same event.
Jovic completed her title defence without dropping a set all week. She also became the first woman to win the Guadalajara Open singles title twice.
Nine service holds and three decisive breaks
Stearns stayed level with her opponent through 4-4 in the opening set. Jovic broke in the ninth game and held to take the set. In the second, she won the opening two games and broke again for 5-2 before serving out the match.
Jovic's service games offered the clearest measure of her control: she did not face a single break point during the final. Stearns lost serve three times and could not earn a chance to break back and change the course of the contest.
Two strong runs, one champion
Both finalists had reached the title match without losing a set. Stearns defeated Liudmila Samsonova 7-6(7), 6-2 in the semifinals, while Jovic beat Cristina Bucsa 6-4, 6-1. Already a champion in Austin this season, Stearns was seeking another title in 2026.
Jovic leaves Guadalajara with a career milestone in sight. The WTA projects that she will rise to a career-high No. 13 when the rankings are updated on Monday, September 21. That position remained a projection at the time of publication.
The official WTA highlights feature Jovic and Stearns in the 2026 final.
