Iva Jovic defends Guadalajara Open title with 6-4, 6-2 win over Stearns
Synopsis
Iva Jovic has done it again in Guadalajara — defending her title without dropping a set and beating Peyton Stearns 6-4, 6-2 in the final. At just 18, she now has two WTA titles, both won at the same Mexican venue, signalling the arrival of a serious force on the women's tour.
Key Takeaways
Iva Jovic defeated Peyton Stearns 6-4, 6-2 in the Guadalajara Open final on Sunday .
Jovic defended her title without dropping a set throughout the entire week.
The match lasted one hour and 26 minutes , with Jovic sealing victory on her third match point .
Jovic won her maiden WTA title at the same venue last year, aged 17 ; she now has two WTA titles .
Peyton Stearns had defeated Liudmila Samsonova in the semifinals and was seeking her second title of 2026 after winning the ATX Open in February .
Iva Jovic successfully defended her Guadalajara Open title on Sunday, defeating fellow American Peyton Stearns 6-4, 6-2 in the final to claim her second WTA Tour title. The second-seeded Jovic completed the week without dropping a single set, finishing the championship match in one hour and 26 minutes.
A Dominant Week Without Dropping a Set
Returning to the tournament where she announced herself on the WTA Tour a year ago, Jovic delivered another commanding display throughout the week. The American teenager navigated every round without conceding a set, underscoring the consistency and composure that made her such a formidable force on the Mexican hard courts. Her title defence was as clinical as it was complete.
How the Final Unfolded
The opening set was tightly contested, with both players holding serve through the first eight games and neither able to create a break-point opportunity. The decisive shift came in the ninth game, when Jovic found the break she needed to move 5-4 ahead. She then held her nerve on serve to close out the opening set after 46 minutes.
Momentum stayed firmly with Jovic into the second set. She immediately broke Stearns in the opening game and consolidated to move 2-0 ahead, extending her run to five consecutive games dating back to the first set. Another break in the seventh game put the defending champion within reach of the trophy at 5-2. Serving for the championship, Jovic required three match points before sealing the win with a backhand winner down the line.
Milestone for the American Teenager
The victory marks a significant milestone in Jovic's young career. She had captured her maiden WTA Tour title in Guadalajara last year at the age of 17, and has now returned to the same venue twelve months later to repeat the feat — this time without surrendering a set. The triumph adds a second title to her growing WTA resume and reinforces her remarkable affinity with the Mexican tournament.
Stearns Falls Short of Second Title
For Peyton 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 bidding for her second title of the 2026 season, having won the ATX Open in February. Instead, it was Jovic who once again departed Guadalajara with the trophy, leaving Stearns to reflect on what was still a strong fortnight.
What's Next
With two WTA titles now to her name and a flawless title defence at Guadalajara, Jovic will be among the players to watch closely as the indoor hard-court season gets underway. Her ability to dominate without dropping a set signals a maturity well beyond her years, and her next tournament assignments are expected to attract significant interest.
Point of View
Both without dropping a set in the final — Jovic's connection with this tournament is becoming one of the more compelling storylines on the WTA Tour. What the wider circuit will want to know is whether this is a player who travels beyond one favoured venue, or whether her game translates consistently across surfaces and draws. The Stearns match, played cleanly from the baseline with controlled aggression, hints at the former. At an age when most players are still finding their footing, Jovic is already building a body of work that demands serious attention from her rivals heading into the indoor season.
NationPress
20 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Guadalajara Open 2026 women's title?
Iva Jovic won the 2026 Guadalajara Open women's title, defeating Peyton Stearns 6-4, 6-2 in the final on Sunday. It is her second WTA Tour title, having also won the same tournament last year.
What was the scoreline in the Guadalajara Open final?
Iva Jovic beat Peyton Stearns 6-4, 6-2 in the final, completing the match in one hour and 26 minutes. She sealed the victory with a backhand winner down the line on her third match point.
Did Iva Jovic drop any sets at the 2026 Guadalajara Open?
No — Jovic did not drop a single set throughout the entire week in Guadalajara. Her title defence was flawless from the first round through to the final.
How did Peyton Stearns reach the Guadalajara Open final?
Peyton Stearns reached the final by defeating Liudmila Samsonova in the semifinals. She was seeking her second title of the 2026 season following her ATX Open victory in February.
How many WTA titles does Iva Jovic have?
Iva Jovic now has two WTA Tour titles, both won at the Guadalajara Open — in 2025, when she was 17, and again in 2026. She claimed both titles without dropping a set in the final.
