The WTA action in first week after US Open is not just about the Guadalajara Open Akron, as Sao Paulo hosts the WTA main tour event for the first time since 2025. The WTA 250 Sao Paulo Open contains a very interesting field including the players who displayed some sensational breakthrough performances earlier in the season, including the Grand Slam fortnight in New York. The favorites are doing well right now with 6 out of 8 seeds being still in the pack before the quarterfinals. The featured players have mostly played matches against way lower ranked opponents, however the quarterfinals pairing are looking to be an exciting mix with some good level of performance to be expected.
Beatriz Haddad Maia is the home crowd favorite, trying to keep the good momentum regained in New York after the miserable form displayed throughout the whole year. The Brazilian is a top seed, being by far highest and decorated player in whole the field. Although her first match was an obvious job to be done against the Italian qualifier Miriana Tona placed in 5th century of WTA rankings (6-1 6-1), the second round delivered a derby match between two top Brazilian racquets. Haddad Maia was obviously a favorite against Laura Pigossi - currently ranked 193th, but used to circle around top 100 in previous seasons. Haddad Maia passed this test well with another easy win by 6-1 6-4 despite dropping a break in both sets. It's an important time for the world number 27, who won 5 out of 6 last matches, repairing her season record which was as poor as 10-23 before the US Open.
The quarterfinal between the home favorite and Renata Zarazua is probably going to be the top clash of Friday action in Sao Paulo. The world number 83 has delivered the famous upset over Madison Keys in the opening round of US Open 3 weeks ago. Her road to quarterfinal was very formidable, as the 5th seed faced two opponents ranked outside top 500 in the rankings. It's difficult to take any conclusions from that performance, however it's the first time this season when Zarazua wins two consecutive matches in main draw of WTA level tournament.
Janice Tjen was one of the revelations in Flushing Meadows, earning the first ever main draw Grand Slam victory of the Indonesian female player, by defeating the 25th seed Veronika Kudermetova in three sets after successfully passing three round of qualifiers. Tjen has started her campaign in Brasil by eliminating 7th seed Leolia Jeanjean by 6-2 6-3, although despite lower ranking she was the pre-match favorite related to odds. She followed that victory with a beatdown served to the qualifier from Slovakia - Martina Okalova (6-1 6-0). Eala is also yet to lose a set in Sao Paulo after facing Julia Riera - one of the most tricky unseeded players on paper, defeating the Argentinian by 6-1 6-4. That will be a super interesting match-up between two exciting talents being already the precursors of success in the world of professional female tennis.
The second seed Solana Sierra has not faced any significant issues on her road to quarterfinal so far. She has defeated the sensation of the tournament in second round's match. Nauhany Vitoria Leme Da Silva is the 15 years-old who got granted wild card to main draw and became the first player born in 2010 to win a match in WTA main tour's history. The 15 years-old Brasilian has defeated her fellowcountry Carolina Alves. She lost the opening set to Sierra in just 20 minutes winning no games, but played quite a competitive second set, losing by 4-6 and even being up by a break after 7 games. That match has surely gave much hopes for the local crowd to have the promising young talent who can jump into pack of professional players sooner or later. Francesca Jones is Sierra's quarterfinal opponent. The 6th seed has won a three-setter against Lina Glushko in first round and followed that by defeating the world number 136 Whitney Osuigwe by 6-4 7-6(6). The Brit was down 0-3 in second set against the American, but managed to make up the score and crossed the finish line after converting 3rd of matchpoints.
Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajanoah vs. Panna Udvardy is the only one all-European quarterfinal clash. Rakotomanga Rajanoah is the 19 years-old French ranked 214th in WTA list. She managed to defeat two lower-ranked opponents in previous rounds, taking the projected quarterfinal spot from Alja Tomljanovic, who was forced to withdraw during opening round's match against the qualifier Victoria Rodriguez. Panna Udvardy continues her good run of form granted with the run into final in WTA 125 challenger played in Guadalajara last week, where she came up short to Alexandra Eala in title match. It's second WTA 250 level quarterfinal on hard this year after July's event in Romanian Iasi. Udvardy is another player who capitalized on formidable draw so far, defeating the world's number 250 Anna Sinclair Rogers and 593th ranked Ana Candiotto, both in easy straight sets. The eventual advance into final can lift up Udvardy back to the top 100 in WTA rankings.