The WTA 500 Guadalajara Open has delivered another thrilling chapter in its storied history, as seasoned veterans and rising stars alike made headlines on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at the Panamerican Tennis Center. With rain delays, comeback stories, and breakout performances, fans were treated to a whirlwind of action that has set the stage for an electrifying quarterfinal round.
One of the day’s standout moments came courtesy of Tatjana Maria, the 38-year-old German who continues to defy expectations on the professional circuit. Maria, seeded sixth in the tournament, displayed her trademark resilience and tactical prowess to overcome Canada’s Rebecca Marino in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5, in a match that lasted an hour and a half. This victory propels Maria into the quarterfinals, where she awaits the winner of the rain-suspended clash between top-seeded Elise Mertens and France’s Elsa Jacquemot.
Maria’s win was hard-fought, with both players serving up impressive numbers. Marino, 34, fired 12 aces and committed only a single double fault, keeping the pressure on the German throughout. Maria, however, matched her opponent’s intensity with five aces of her own and three double faults, but crucially converted three of her eleven break-point opportunities. Marino managed to break Maria just once from two chances, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide in her favor. According to The Canadian Press, “Marino fired 12 aces and only had one double fault but broke on one of just two chances in the contest.”
For Marino, the loss marked the end of a promising singles run that began with a commanding 6-2, 6-3 win over Italy’s Martina Trevisan in the previous round. Despite the setback, Marino isn’t done in Guadalajara just yet. She’s slated to compete in the women’s doubles first round on Thursday, partnering with Mexico’s Fernanda Contreras against the local favorite Giuliana Olmos and Indonesia’s Aldila Sutjiadi—a match postponed due to Wednesday’s rain. The doubles field itself saw some early drama, with play suspended mid-session, adding another layer of unpredictability to the week’s proceedings.
Elsewhere, the tournament served as a launchpad for new talent. Nikola Bartunkova, a 19-year-old Czech ranked 228th in the world, announced her arrival on the big stage by reaching her first-ever WTA quarterfinal. Bartunkova dispatched compatriot Darja Vidmanova 6-3, 6-2, in a performance that had fans and commentators buzzing. The official WTA social media account captured the excitement: “Big W 😤 19-year-old Nikola Bartunkova is into her first Tour-level quarterfinal after beating Vidmanova 6-3, 6-2!”
Bartunkova now faces the prospect of taking on either Magdalena Frech, the fourth seed and defending champion from Poland, or Italy’s Lucrezia Stefanini. Stefanini herself made headlines by knocking out former world number three Sloane Stephens in three sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1. This match marked Stephens’ return to competitive action after a six-month layoff due to a foot injury, but the American couldn’t sustain her momentum against the determined Italian.
Speaking of comebacks, Camila Osorio of Colombia continued her impressive run by defeating Kamilla Rakhimova 7-5, 7-5. This victory was especially sweet for Osorio, as it marked the second consecutive year she’s bested the Russian at this event, having previously triumphed in last year’s quarterfinals. Osorio, seeded fifth, now prepares for a showdown with 17-year-old Iva Jovic, who advanced after a gritty win over Katarzyna Kawa.
Colombian hopes remain high, as Emiliana Arango also progressed after Magda Linette, the fifth seed, retired from their match following a 6-0 first set in Arango’s favor. Arango’s next opponent is Australia’s Storm Hunter, who edged out Katerina Siniakova in a closely contested battle. The South American contingent is making waves in Guadalajara, bringing fresh energy and unpredictability to the draw.
But not all favorites survived the opening rounds. Maria Sakkari, the 2023 champion and a fan favorite, suffered a stunning defeat at the hands of Elsa Jacquemot. The Frenchwoman dispatched Sakkari in decisive fashion, 6-2, 6-0, sending shockwaves through the tournament and setting up a tantalizing encounter with top seed Elise Mertens—once their rain-delayed match resumes.
Meanwhile, the qualifying rounds have produced their own share of drama and surprise. Canada’s Marina Stakusic, who battled through qualifying, staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Russia’s Polina Kudermetova 3-6, 7-5, 6-4. Stakusic’s reward is a second-round clash with Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko, the third seed and one of the event’s marquee names. Ostapenko, along with second seed Veronika Kudermetova, is set to make her tournament debut on Thursday, facing Stakusic and Andorra’s Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva respectively.
The doubles competition, always a fan favorite in Guadalajara, has already seen its share of upsets. In the Round of 16, Iryna Shymanovich and Maria Kozyreva ousted Monica Niculescu and Camila Osorio 6-2, 6-3. The American duo of Quinn Gleason and Jessie Aney pulled off a nail-biting victory in the quarterfinals, defeating Sabrina Santamaria and China’s Qianhui Tang (seeded 4) 3-6, 7-6 (6), 11-9. With the doubles schedule thrown into flux by weather, fans are bracing for more late-night drama as teams vie for a coveted spot in the final.
As the tournament heads into its decisive stages, all eyes remain on the weather and the recovering stars. Rain has already forced crucial delays, most notably halting the high-stakes Mertens-Jacquemot duel. With top seeds still to make their debuts and new faces crashing the party, the 2025 Guadalajara Open is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable editions in recent memory.
With Tatjana Maria’s ageless run, Nikola Bartunkova’s breakout, and a field wide open for surprises, fans and players alike are bracing for more twists. The action resumes Thursday, with quarterfinal places and championship dreams hanging in the balance. Stay tuned—Guadalajara’s courts are far from done serving up the unexpected!
