Leylah Fernandez, of Canada, returns a shot to Ekaterina Alexandrova, of Russia, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023, in New York. Leylah Fernandez saw her best run at a WTA 1000 tournament end Thursday with a 6-4, 6-7 (8), 6-1 quarterfinal loss to American Sofia Kenin at the Guadalajara Open. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Mary Altaffer
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Leylah Fernandez saw her best run at a WTA 1000 tournament end Thursday with a 6-4, 6-7 (8), 6-1 quarterfinal loss to American Sofia Kenin at the Guadalajara Open.
Fernandez, from Laval, Que., had 15 aces to Kenin’s six, and the American hit into 14 double-faults compared to eight for Fernandez.
But Kenin was much better at cashing in on her chances, breaking Fernandez six times on seven opportunities. Fernandez had eight chances to break, but was successful on just three of them.
It was the first time Fernandez had made the quarterfinals of a WTA 1000 event, though she has progressed further at a Grand Slam. She was a U.S. Open finalist in 2021.
Fernandez can still move on to the final four in women’s doubles.
She was scheduled to join American partner Taylor Townsend for a quarterfinal match against Italy’s Jasmine Paolini and Egypt’s Mayar Sherif later Thursday, the winner of that match will face Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and partner Erin Routliffe, who grew up in Canada and represents New Zealand, in the semifinals.
Dabrowski and Routliffe continued their newfound successful partnership with a 7-5, 0-6, 10-7 win over Estonia’s Ingrid Neel and Ulrikke Eikeri of Norway in women’s doubles quarterfinal action.
Dabrowski and Routliffe, ranked third in Guadalajara after winning the U.S. Open women’s doubles title earlier this month, didn’t save any of the four break points they faced, including three in the second set.
But they responded in the third set by serving confidently, winning 85.7 per cent of their first serve points and earning points on both of their second serves.
Should the second-seeded team of Fernandez and Townsend advance, it will be the second high-profile meeting between Fernandez’s team and Dabrowski’s tandem this month.
Dabrowski and Routliffe defeated Fernandez and Townsend 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8) in the U.S. Open quarterfinals.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 21, 2023.
