Weekly Recap: Iva Jovic and Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah Claim Breakthrough Titles

What happened this week on the ATP and WTA tours? While no men's events were played post-US Open, the women headed South for some extra time in the sun before the tour transitions indoors. And in fact, a specific but unexpected American triumphed at one the two events. 

Two Teens Triumph at WTA Events in South America

As many top players recover from runs at the US Open, two WTA events, the 250-level tournament in Sao Paulo and the 500-level event in Guadalajara, feature unusually open draws with increased opportunities for lower-ranked players to play in big stadiums and earn big results. That they did. In fact, this week two teenagers came out on top, placing their names at the top of a watchlist for the potential next stars of the emerging generation on the women's tour. 

In Sao Paulo, Brazil, Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah, the 19-year-old Frenchwoman, defied two seeded players to win the trophy. Winning her first match against Ana Sofia Sanchez in the first round was a special moment, but it couldn't compare to what was to come. From there, she took out Victoria Rodriguez, 8th seed Panna Udvardy, 5th seed Renata Zarazua, and Janice Tjen to add extra 250 ranking points and a check for about $36,000 to her name. Her final performance showcased some particularly strong attributes, with the teen staying cool and confident under the spotlight and jumping to a lead right out of the gate. This was the opposite of her first battle, where she recovered from a 0-5 deficit, but both instances were a key display of her mature mental strength. In addition, she utilized her tricky left-handed game and consistency to win, and Tjen had little to offer as Rakotomanga Rajaonah won the final 6-3, 6-4. 

Photo credit: Hameltion, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Meanwhile, on an even larger stage in Gaudalajara, Mexico, up-and-comer American Iva Jovic enjoyed an equally improbable but enjoyable week to boost her ranking inside the top 40. The 17-year-old has found success lately, reaching the second round at the US Open and winning 5 matches in Cincinnati. She continued the streak down south, defeating Katarzyna Kawa, 8th seed Camilla Osorio, Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, Nikola Bartunkova, and Emiliana Arango to be the youngest American to win a title since Coco Gauff in 2021. Impressively, three of the five matches she played this week went to five sets, and she survived a final-set tiebreak in her quarterfinal demonstrating extreme poise for a player with limited experience in big moments. However, she was all business in the championship match, knocking down Arango 6-4, 6-1 to secure her first tour-level title. 

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Written by Will Turvey. Top photo credit: Hameltion, Fotojump/SB Open, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.