The top two seeds in Mérida make their entrance as No. 1 Jasmine Paolini (who took a wild card after her early exit in the Middle East) and No. 2 Emma Navarro – the defending champion – take the court.
Navarro has virtually gone underground in recent months. It’s kind of insane for a player who was at No. 8 after the 2024 US Open, and steady as they come, to be at No. 20 and falling.
She’s 4-6 on the season and has won back-to-back matches just once since the China Open in late September last year. She has mostly lost to very good players, but still …
Those loses include one to Zhang Shuai in Wuhan last fall; she faces Zhang again in her opener Thursday. If she’s beaten she could drop down to No. 30.
(Mérida and Austin are an hour behind ET).
Mérida Open Akron
Location: Mérida, Mexico
Category: WTA 500
Surface: Hard Court
Dates: Feb. 23 – March 1, 2026
Prize Money: $1,206,446
Draws: S28 – D16
–
Estadio (2 p.m. start – 3 p.m. ET)
1. [7] Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (ESP) vs. Magdalena Frech (POL)
2. [3] Ann Li (USA) vs. Zeynep Sonmez (TUR) (not before 3:30 p.m.)
3. [1/WC] Jasmine Paolini (ITA) vs. [LL] Priscilla Hon (AUS) (not before 6 p.m.)
4. [2] Emma Navarro (USA) vs. [Q] Zhang Shuai (CHN)
–
Cancha 1
1. Isabelle Haverlag (NED) / Maia Lumdsen (GBR) vs Quinn Gleason (USA) / Magali Kempen (BEL)
2. [2] Cristina Bucsa (ESP) / Jiang Xinyu (CN) vs. Rutuja Bhosale (IND) / Makoto Ninomiya (JPN) (not before 3:30 p.m.)
3. Anastasia Detiuc (CZE) / Sabrina Santamaria (USA) vs. Tang Qianhui / Xu Yifan (CHN)
4. Marie Bouzkova (CZE) / Ann Li (USA) vs. Katarzyna Piter (POL) / Janice Tjen (INA) (after suitable rest)
–
–
ATX Open
Location: Austin, Texas
Category: WTA 250
Surface: Hard Court
Dates: Feb. 23 – March 1, 2026
Prize Money: $283,347
Draws: S32 – D16
–
Center Court (11 a.m. start – Noon ET)
1. Ashlyn Krueger (USA) vs. Anastasia Zakharova (RUS)
2. [4] Peyton Stearns (USA) vs. Kaja Juvan (SLO) (not before 1 p.m.)
3. Kimberly Birrell (AUS) vs. [Q] Caroline Dolehide (USA)
4. [2] Iva Jovic (USA) vs. Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) (not before 6 p.m.)
5. [3] Eudice Chong (HKG) / En-Shuo Liang (TPE) vs. [PR] Emily Appleton (GBR) / Alexa Guarachi (CHI)
–
Grandstand (2 p.m.)
1. [2] Shuko Aoyama (CHN) / Ena Shibahara (JPN) vs. Mana Ayukawa / Kanako Morisaki (JPN)
2. [1] Storm Hunter (AUS) / Taylor Townsend (USA) vs. Oksana Selekhmeteva / Anastasia Zakharova (RUS) (not before 4:30 p.m./after suitable rest)
–
–
About Post Author
