Leylah Fernandez spent two days dissecting one opponentB次元官网网址檚 game and had to pivot quickly before hitting Centre Court on home soil on Wednesday.
Fernandez was originally scheduled to face ChinaB次元官网网址檚 Zhang Shuai in the first round of the National Bank Open at TorontoB次元官网网址檚 Sobeys Stadium, but the WTA TourB次元官网网址檚 63rd-ranked player was scratched because of a viral illness and replaced by JapanB次元官网网址檚 Nao Hibino on short notice.
Despite a roller-coaster performance, Fernandez handled that curveball to advance and secure a spot in the second round of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 national tennis championship, defeating Hibino 6-3, 5-7, 6-1.
B次元官网网址淚 found out about the change around 4:30 (p.m.),B次元官网网址 said the tournamentB次元官网网址檚 15th seed, who faced Hibino some 2 1/2 hours later. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檇 just spent a good amount, like 48 hours, of analyzing.
B次元官网网址淏ut a change of opponent happens B次元官网网址 itB次元官网网址檚 last minute B次元官网网址 weB次元官网网址檝e just got to go with the flow.B次元官网网址
The 21-year-old Laval, Que., product improved to 4-1 against Hibino after the win.
Fernandez started brightly and blasted her second ace of the match to close out the first set.
She was serving for the match and two points away from victory before Hibino (No. 151) pushed back to take a nervy, back-and-forth second set 7-5 that was starting to look eerily similar to Bianca AndreescuB次元官网网址檚 meltdown some 24 hours earlier on the same surface.
B次元官网网址淭here was a big dip and I guess I gave her confidence,B次元官网网址 said Fernandez, the No. 25 player in the world. B次元官网网址淚 wasnB次元官网网址檛 the one that was offensive, the aggressor B次元官网网址 she was. That was a big difference.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a set that I would like to forget.B次元官网网址
Fernandez, who made the third round of last yearB次元官网网址檚 NBO in Montreal, settled down and went up an early break in the third set to take a 2-1 lead after digging out of a hole on serve the previous game.
The U.S. Open finalist in 2021 then broke her opponent again with a sliced drop shot for a 4-1 lead before securing a third break to seal the win.
Next up is qualifier Ashlyn Krueger (No. 82) of the U.S. in ThursdayB次元官网网址檚 second round. The pairB次元官网网址檚 only head-to-head came in June on grass at the Rothesay International when the Canadian picked up an emphatic 6-2, 6-1 victory.
B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 play too well,B次元官网网址 Fernandez said in summarizing WednesdayB次元官网网址檚 performance. B次元官网网址淭oo many mistakes.B次元官网网址
Marina Stakusic of Mississauga, Ont., joined her compatriot in the second round after the 19-year-old came back to defeat RussiaB次元官网网址檚 Erika Andreeva 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-4 in her first NBO main-draw appearance.
Stakusic, who entered the week ranked 160th, will face Taylor Townsend on Thursday.
The 71st-ranked American lost in qualifying, but earned a spot in the womenB次元官网网址檚 bracket as an injury replacement before first-round opponent and No. 16 seed Dayana Yastremska retired in TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 second set with Townsend up 6-3, 3-1.
VancouverB次元官网网址檚 Rebecca Marino, meanwhile, lost her first-round match 6-3, 6-4 to PolandB次元官网网址檚 Magda Linette on Wednesday.
In other notable action at the US$3.2-million womenB次元官网网址檚 event that saw a boatload of withdrawals last week B次元官网网址 including the top-ranked Iga Swiatek B次元官网网址 defending champion and No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula of the U.S. beat CzechiaB次元官网网址檚 Karolina Pliskova 7-5, 6-4 to advanced to the third round.
Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka of Japan defeated No. 9 seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia 6-3, 6-1. No. 1 seed Coco Gauff of the U.S. and No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus will hit the court for their second-round matches Thursday.
The first Canadian to win the event in 55 years back in 2019, Andreescu was eliminated Tuesday night after the Mississauga native dropped her first-round match 0-6, 6-3, 6-4 to UkraineB次元官网网址檚 Lesia Tsurenko.
Stakusic, who grew up attending the Toronto leg of the event and got a spot in the draw as a wild card, envisioned herself on this stage as a kid.
B次元官网网址淚t was really nice to see everybody cheering,B次元官网网址 she said. B次元官网网址淚t was amazing just to have the support.B次元官网网址
Fernandez, meanwhile, will have a busy Thursday.
SheB次元官网网址檚 also set to compete in doubles with younger sister Bianca in the second round against the American duo of Krueger B次元官网网址 her singles opponent hours earlier B次元官网网址 and Catherine Harrison.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 just happy that I get to share the court with her,B次元官网网址 Fernandez said of playing alongside Bianca. B次元官网网址淗opefully, it goes well and we get to continue this adventure.B次元官网网址
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 7, 2024.
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Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press