No. 2 Jovic had booked her place the previous evening with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Spaniard Cristina Bucsa, a result that takes the 18-year-old to a new career high of 13th from No. 14 next week. The win was also her 36th at WTA level 2 this season in season 2. Next to Iga Sviatek and the clearest measure of his breakout year.
On the way to the final, Jovic did not lose a single set. she beat No. 7 Magdalena Frech of Poland 6-2, 6-1 and Zeynep Sonmez 7-6 (5), 6-4. The 40th-ranked Buksa was the tournament’s other upset, defeating Czech No. 3 Sara Bielek 6-0, 6-4, Hungary’s Panna Udvardi 6-4, 6-4 and Canadian Bianca Andreescu 6-4, 6-3.
Stearns, ranked No. 55, has spent a week beating higher-ranked opponents and did so again in the semifinals, winning a tiebreak against Samsonova in the first set before running away with the second. Earlier, the American defeated Wilayet Sloane Stephens 7-6 (6), 6-4, French 4th seed Diane Parry 6-2, 7-5 and Colombian Emiliana Arango 6-3, 6-2.
The 47th-ranked Samsonova leaves Mexico with her best win of the week behind her. the Russian knocked out Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 after defeating American Kayla 7-6 (4), 2-6, 7-6 (5) and French Elsak 6-6 (7-6-6).
