Canada’s rising tennis star Leylah Fernandez has been eliminated at Indian Wells.
The 19-year-old from Laval, Que., lost to American Shelby Rogers, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 in the round of 16 of the BNP Paribas Open on Tuesday.
Fernandez showed plenty of fight, saving match point at 5-6 in the third, before ultimately falling short in a final set that lasted 83 minutes.
It’s a career-best result at the WTA 1000 level for Fernandez, who won her first WTA title in March at the Monterrey Open and was a finalist at the U.S. Open in September.
Canadian teammate Bianca Andreescu was eliminated in the third round of women’s singles on Monday, while Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime also made early exits.
Rogers, who turns 29 on Wednesday, gave herself an early birthday present reaching the last eight where she will take on Latvian 24th seed Jelena Ostapenko.
“That was an incredible match,” said Rogers. “She [Fernandez] has had such an incredible season and she’s such a sweet girl, I’ve gotten to know her a little bit. It was really about who was dictating the points today, who could get control of the points first.
“When she gets a good look at a ball it’s very tough, her forehand was incredible today.”
Upsets dominated throughout the tournament on Tuesday, with three top-five seeds getting dismissed in consecutive sets.
No. 2 Iga Swiatek, the highest remaining women’s seed, lost to No. 24 Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 6-3. Top-seeded Karolina Pliskova was upset a day earlier, when she lost to Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-3, 7-5.
American Jessica Pegula routed No. 5 Elina Svitolina 6-1, 6-1.
On the men’s side, American Taylor Fritz beat No. 5 Matteo Berretini 6-4, 6-3. Karen Khachanov defeated No. 12 Pablo Carreno Busta 6-0, 6-4.
No. 6 Casper Ruud survived the onslaught of upsets, outlasting Lloyd Harris 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4.
Jannik Sinner advanced via walkover versus American John Isner.
