​Iva Jovic has once again taken the Guadalajara Open by storm, successfully defending her title in Mexico.Jovic claimed her maiden WTA title at the tournament this time last year, and has now asserted her dominance with a stunning run. The American did not drop a set all week en route to lifting the trophy once again.She has since reacted to her latest success at the Guadalajara Open, where she clinched the title with a final victory over Peyton Stearns. The two Americans played for one hour and 26 minutes before Jovic won 6-4, 6-2.READ MORE:Andrea Petkovic predicts who is going to win a Grand Slam first out of Alex Eala and Iva JovicIva Jovic thanks crowd after winning the Guadalajara OpenSpeaking beyond her years as ever, the 18-year-old said on court: “It’s amazing to be back here in the final with this beautiful trophy and this sombrero. I love it here. You guys have given me so much energy. The crowd is my favorite thing about coming here, so thank you so much for being here.”She later added: “I’m just happy with the improvements I’ve made throughout the year. I think I’ve shown that I’m a more complete and better player than I was this time around last year.”Before edging past Stearns, the American teenager knocked out Zeynep Sonmez, Magdalena Frech and Cristina Bucsa, who incidentally won the Guadalajara Open doubles title with Nicole Melichar-Martinez.Peyton StearnsIva Jovic58.8%30/51Total service points won70.2%40/5729.8%17/57Total return points won41.2%21/5143.5%47/108Total points won56.5%61/108Iva Jovic backed to break WTA top 5 after Guadalajara Open titleIt was a quick turnaround for the youngster, who reached the last 16 of the US Open earlier this month. Coco Gauff beat Jovic in New York, where the latter had previously claimed an epic three-set win over Alexandra Eala.She dropped two places to 16th in the WTA rankings following the Grand Slam, but has now been predicted for a dramatic rise before the season is over. That is the view of Rick Macci, who previously coached tennis legend Serena Williams.He posted on X: “Jovic top ten by year end. Top five for sure in 2027. Her feet are the wildcard and cornerstone of her options. No real technical flaws. Great spirit and fighter. Mindset positive and learning. Only 18 and getting experience of being there, done that. Permanent fixture in the top ten for a long time and will bag a few Slams.”It’s quite the claim from Macci, who clearly likes what he sees from the American star. And he has every right to do so, with the 18-year-old now boasting two titles and a career-high rank of 14th.