Marina Stakusic Advances in Guadalajara Open After Thrilling Match

GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Canadian wild card Marina Stakusic survived a thrilling opening-round match at the Guadalajara Open on Tuesday, defeating Russian Polina Kudermetova 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 in a rain-delayed WTA 500 event.

The 20-year-old Stakusic, hailing from Mississauga, Ontario, faced a tough challenge, initially falling behind in the third set at 3-1. However, she regrouped and found her footing, ultimately tying the set at 4-4 before the rain delay.

After the break, Stakusic displayed resilience, closing out the match by winning the final two games. Despite her victory, Kudermetova outperformed her in terms of aces, hitting five compared to Stakusic’s three. The Russian also recorded fewer double faults with nine, while Stakusic had 14. Both players had a similar number of unforced errors, with Kudermetova registering 33 and Stakusic at 30.

Stakusic boasted a solid 66 percent winning percentage on her first serve, successfully winning eight service and return games, along with converting eight of 13 break points and saving six of 14 break points.

Looking ahead, Stakusic is set to face third-seeded Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia in the round of 16 on Wednesday.

In a separate match, Vancouver‘s Rebecca Marino also advanced, defeating Italian wild card Martina Trevisan 6-2, 6-3 in a match initially scheduled for Monday. Marino fired 11 aces, alongside five double faults and 11 unforced errors in her 73-minute contest.

Marino managed to win seven service games and five return games, securing five of eight break points she faced. Her winning percentage on first serves was 65 percent, while Trevisan managed only 47 percent.

Marino will next take on sixth-seeded Tatjana Maria of Germany on Wednesday.

This report was first published by The Canadian Press on Sept. 9, 2025.