Fernandez, Townsend, Stephens win Guadalajara openers
The Guadalajara Open AKRON kicked off on Sunday and the results rolled with the favorites.
Guadalajara 2023: Scores | Order of Play | Draws
2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez View Profile dropped just four games to move past Asia Muhammad 6-1, 6-3 in her opener. The win sets up a second-round clash with 13th-seed Elise Mertens View Profile . The Belgian advanced with a 7-6(4), 6-2 win over her compatriot Yanina Wickmayer.
Fernandez comes into the tournament ranked No.74, but has enjoyed consistent success at tournaments hosted in Mexico. She was back-to-back champion in Monterrey in 2021 and 2022, where she won her first Hologic WTA Tour title, and a finalist in Acapulco in 2020.
Guadalajara 🫶 Leylah@leylahfernandez | #GDLOpenAKRON pic.twitter.com/hvjxo9M9xD
— wta (@WTA) September 18, 2023
Taylor Townsend View Profile came through two tough sets against Australian wild card Ajla Tomljanovic View Profile . The American prevailed 7-6(3), 6-4 and will face No.5 seed Belinda Bencic View Profile next. The Swiss won their only prior meeting, on the green clay of Charleston in 2019.
The Guadalajara stakes: Bencic's bid for Cancun's elite eight
2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens closed out the day's action with a 7-5, 6-4 win over qualifier Ann Li View Profile . Like Fernandez, Stephens is looking to tap into the positive memories she has in Guadalajara. Stephens won the WTA 250 title at the same venue in 2022.
Media Day fun 🤗#GDLOpenAKRON pic.twitter.com/TEOuRYqlSv
— wta (@WTA) September 17, 2023
More results from opening day in Guadalajara:
Alycia Parks View Profile defeated Lauren Davis 6-3, 6-2 and will face top seed Ons Jabeur View Profile next. With Guadalajara played at altitude, Parks' big serve paid dividends. The 22-year-old fired 11 aces.
Draws, dates, prize money and everything you need to know about Guadalajara
Canadian wild card Eugenie Bouchard earned her first tour-level main-draw win since April, defeating Mexico's Renata Zarazua View Profile 6-1, 7-6(4). Bouchard will face No.7 seed Veronika Kudermetova View Profile in the second round. She is bidding to post back-to-back tour-level wins since the Chennai Open last fall.
Spain's Cristina Bucsa posted the most dominant win of the day, defeating former World No.10 Kristina Mladenovic 6-0, 6-0.
