By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday September 19, 2023
Ons Jabeur pushed into the round of 16 on a busy day at Guadalajara.
Photo Source: Getty
Ons Jabeur opened accounts at the Guadalajara Open Akron by breezing past hard-serving American Alycia Parks in 59 minutes, 6-2, 6-2. The Tunisian won 25 of 30 first-serve points against the 45th-ranked American, and broke serve five times from seven opportunities.
"Altitude or not, it’s always difficult to return [Parks’s] serve," Jabeur said on court, after improving to 28-13 on the season. "I’m glad that I got to break her a couple of times. Definitely my return got a lot of confidence today."
Jabeur will face Italy’s Martina Trevison on Wednesday in Mexico.
It was a busy day at the 1000-level event, with 13 round of 16 spots claimed, including five by Americans.
49th-ranked American Emma Navarro finished off the night session with a 6-2, 7-6(5) victory over fourth-seeded Madison Keys. Navarro is joined by Taylor Townsend, Hailey Baptiste, Sofia Kenin and Caroline Dolehide in the round of 16.
Kenin, a finalist last week at San Diego, made it six of seven wins by defeating Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina 6-2, 7-6(5) – she will face Jelena Ostapenko in a battle of Grand Slam champions next.
Townsend defeated Elvina Kalieva, 6-1 7-6(3), while Dolehide got past Sachia Vickery, 6-3 4-6 6-1.
Baptiste made it through on Monday, taking down Karolina Pliskova, 7-6(5) 5-7 7-6(4).
Garcia Saves Two Match Points
Third-seeded Caroline Garcia gained safe passage, surviving a harrowing encounter with Aliaksandra Sasnovich that saw her save two match points in the second set before moving through, 4-6 7-6(5) 6-4.
Second-seeded Maria Sakkari was also victorious, she topped Storm Hunter, 6-2 6-4, to set a round of 16 clash with Camila Giorgi.