Guadalajara Day 2: Kostyuk and Jovic Enter the Round of 16

Seeds enter as round of 16 begins in Mexico

The Guadalajara Open steps up a gear on Tuesday as the top seeds make their first appearances. Top seed Marta Kostyuk and defending champion Iva Jovic, seeded second, both received first-round byes and now face their opening tests at the Panamerican Tennis Center in Zapopan. Third seed Sara Bejlek also enters the competition on day two alongside Diane Parry, one of three French players in the draw.

Kostyuk, the Ukrainian who has been among the most consistent players on the WTA tour throughout 2026, faces Taylor Townsend in the round of 16. Townsend earned her place by beating Tatjana Maria on the opening day. The match presents a genuine tactical puzzle: Kostyuk's flat, powerful baseline game against Townsend's aggressive net approach is a mismatch in styles that could make for a fascinating contest.

Jovic lines up against Zeynep Sönmez, who progressed by beating Iryna Shymanovich in round one. The young American arrived in Mexico carrying the confidence of a champion — she won the Guadalajara title in the previous edition and has claimed two further titles in 2026. Back-to-back success in Guadalajara would strengthen her case as one of the WTA's most dangerous players on hard courts.

First-round results shape Tuesday's bracket

Monday's opening action delivered a series of notable results. Sixth seed Liudmila Samsonova posted a 7-6(6) 6-2 win over Elsa Jacquemot — a first-set tiebreak battle followed by a dominant second set that underlined Samsonova's quality once she finds her rhythm. The match lasted one hour and 52 minutes.

Seventh seed Magdalena Frech beat Nao Hibino, Cristina Bucsa eliminated Bianca Andreescu, and Sloane Stephens saw off Carole Monnet. Caroline Dolehide advanced past local hope Renata Zarazua in a match that drew a partisan crowd for the Mexican player. Zeynep Sönmez beat Iryna Shymanovich to set up her meeting with Jovic.

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Parry, seeded and therefore exempt from the opening round, faces Peyton Stearns in the round of 16. The Frenchwoman has pointed to Guadalajara as a key event for her WTA Finals ambitions, and a victory over Stearns would push her into the quarterfinals.

500 points and the WTA Finals picture

The winner of the Guadalajara Open collects 500 ranking points, making this one of the most valuable remaining events of the 2026 season. Kostyuk, already in contention for a WTA Finals place, has the most to gain from a title run. Jovic and Samsonova are also in the mix depending on how they progress through the bracket.

The draw runs to Saturday, September 19, with quarterfinals on Thursday, semifinals on Friday and the final at the weekend. Tuesday's round of 16 is the week's first pivotal day and should offer a clearer picture of who has the game to challenge for the title in Guadalajara.