Canada's Stakusic out of San Diego Open after second-round loss to Vekic

SAN DIEGO — Canadian teen Marina Stakusic was eliminated in the second round of the San Diego Open tennis tournament with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 loss to seventh seed Dora Vekic of Croatia on Thursday.

Stakusic was playing in her first WTA 500-level tournament.

The 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., won two matches in qualifying before defeating Russian veteran Marina Melnikova 6-4, 5-7, 6-1 in the first round on Monday.

Stakusic showed some flashes against Vekic, landing six aces in the match and going up an early break in the third set.

But the former world No. 19 proved too tough a test. Vekic did not face break point for the remainder of the match while breaking Stakusic twice on three chances.

Stakusic broke onto the tennis scene last year when she helped Canada win the Billie Jean King Cup.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 29, 2024.