Marina Stakusic
Marina Stakusic seems to enjoy Mexico.
Fresh off her first career WTA Tour title as a qualifier at Abierto Tempico in Mexico, the Canadian made it eight wins in row in that country with a 2-6, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2) win over Maya Joint of Australia in the opening round of the Merida Open Akron on Wednesday.
Stakusic prevailed in the winner-take-all tiebreaker after Joint fought off five match points earlier in the set on the Canadian’s serve.
The match featured two teenagers on the rise. The 19-year-old Stakusic, from Mississauga, Ont., is up to No. 116 in the world rankings, while Joint, 18, is 110th.
Both players made their Grand Slam debuts this year. Joint qualified and won one main-draw match at the U.S. Open, while Stakusic qualified for Wimbledon.
Stakusic will face world No. 560 Nina Stojanovic of Serbia in the round of 16.