Iva Jovic defeats Peyton Stearns to retain WTA Guadalajara Open title

Iva Jovic defeated Peyton Stearns to retain her Guadalajara Open singles title in Guadalajara, Mexico at the WTA Guadalajara Open 2026 on September 21, 2026.

The tournament was staged as a WTA 500 event and represented the competition's fifth edition. It had previously been held as a WTA 1000 event before being relegated after its first two editions. The event took place in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Jovic closed out the final 6-4, 6-2. She cut her winner’s speech short as it started raining during the on-court ceremony.

The 18-year-old did not drop a set all week, advancing to the title match with wins over Zeynep Sonmez, Magdalena Frech and Cristina Bucsa. The victory in Guadalajara was her second WTA Tour trophy, both won at the same venue.

Peyton Stearns reached the final after beating Liudmila Samsonova in a tight three-set semi-final. Stearns had been chasing a third career title and a second of the season after winning in Austin earlier in 2026 but was unable to overturn Jovic in the championship match.

The total prize pool for the WTA Guadalajara Open 2026 was $1,206,446. As champion, Iva Jovic received a winner’s cheque of $185,500.

The result pushed Jovic to a new career-high ranking of World No. 13. This successful defence of her Guadalajara title gives her back-to-back triumphs at the same venue.