The Guadalajara Open is a WTA 500 hard-court event that takes place at the Panamerican Tennis Center in Zapopan, Jalisco. This competition is one of the newer WTA 500 events on the tour. It launched in place of the Wuhan Open in 2022.
The competition’s launch followed the suspension of tennis activity in China following the Peng Shuai controversy. Ultimately, Guadalajara was recognized as a suitable venue for hosting a WTA 1000-tier competition. The venue previously hosted the 2021 WTA Finals, and event organizers saw it as an ideal replacement for the Wuhan Open.
As it took place in the Asian-based event, the Guadalajara Open is held in early autumn each year, just after the conclusion of the US Open. With a growing reputation, the Guadalajara Open is a popular tournament among players and spectators.
However, after being staged as a WTA 1000 tournament for a couple of seasons, it was downgraded to a WTA 500 tournament as the Asian swing fully returned again in 2024. During the one-week event, a 32-player singles draw takes place.
In 2022, US player Jessica Pegula made history by becoming the first-ever player to win the Guadalajara Open title. Pegula came through a challenging draw, defeating the likes of Elena Rybakina and Victoria Azarenka before besting Maria Sakkari in the final.
However, in the following season’s final, Sakkari went one step further and won the competition. During the 2023 Guadalajara Open, Sakkari raced to the semi-final, where she defeated Caroline Garcia. Then, in the final match, the Greek player beat US opponent Caroline Dolehide in straight sets.
