Leylah Annie Fernandez didn’t let her championship defeat in Acapulco last weekend affect her performance in Monterrey this week. Quite the opposite, actually.
Fernandez battled back from down a set to beat Sloane Stephens 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals of the Monterrey Open on Wednesday night.
After a magical run for the 17 year old in her maiden WTA event, it’s been much of the same this week. The Montreal native is having a real hard time losing right now, much to the delight of Canadian tennis fans across the country.
It felt like anyone’s game in the first set, with both Fernandez and Stephens breaking each other in their opening service games.
But both players settled down after that, each making some great shots and playing fundamental all-court tennis. There were only two more break points in the entire set, one for each player, and both were saved. Fast forward ten consecutively service games held and it was off to a tiebreak to decide the opener.
But it was Stephens who got the breakthrough in the extra frame, winning three points off Fernandez’s serve and opening up a 5-3 lead. Though Fernandez battled hard, she couldn’t get a point on Stephens’ delivery after that, and the former U.S. Open champion took the first set.
It was all Fernandez the rest of the way, though.
She seemed as settled and poised as an energetic 17-year-old could throughout the set, matching Stephens shot for shot and hitting some difficult winners off both wings.
“LAF” had her first break-point chance of the set at 3-3, and she made no mistake, hitting a winner to get the all-important first break. And, just for good measure, she broke Stephens again on her next service game to win the set.
The youngster seemed to gain more and more confidence as the match went on, and when Stephens made an unforced error to give Fernandez the point, the break, and the second set, the Canadian knew she could win.
Fernandez was able to hold all five of her service matches with ease, losing just four points throughout them. Saying it was an impressive performance would be an understatement, as LAF continues to win the hearts of Canadian tennis fans.
Next up for the feisty Canadian is either top-seed Elina Svitolina or qualifier Olga Govortsova in the quarter-finals.
