Maria marks Guadalajara return with victory over Storm Hunter; Navarro ousts Keys

GUADALAJARA: The No.2 seed Maria Sakkari marked her return to the Guadalajara Open with 6-2, 6-4 triumph over Storm Hunter in the second round on Tuesday night. A finalist last year, Sakkari will face Camila Giorgi in the Round of 16.

"I think it was a very solid match. Obviously, it was a little cunning in the second set. But at the same time, it was good that I put myself in that situation and I overcame it," WTA quoted Sakkari as saying.

"I couldn't ask for a better place to come to overcome my fears, my doubts, my tough emotions. Before the match, I was excited to come back out on this court," Sakkari said.

"I feel like this is my home tournament, I'm not joking. I wish I had a tournament back home, but maybe I can get citizenship, I can become Greek and Mexican. It's incredible that I come here every year and I get to experience that. It's overwhelming," she added.

Emma Navarro defeated No. 4 seed Madison Keys 6-2, 7-6(5) in the final match of the night session to move on to the Round of 16. The 22-year-old Charleston native, who is now rated No. 49, has triumphed in seven of her previous eight matches overall.

avarro just made it to the San Diego semifinals, where she beat Sakkari for her first-ever Top 20 victory. She has now defeated Keys twice in as many weeks. Navarro played a more controlled game in one hour, 23-minute period to defeat Keys for the first time.

Keys was broken five times by Navarro, who profited from his inability to manage the US Open semifinalist. Keys ended the game with 21 victories and 39 unforced mistakes. Navarro made 19 unforced errors and 10 winners.

Leylah Fernandez of Canada will be Navarro's next opponent.