Leylah Fernandez of Canada plays a forehand return to Sara Bejlek of the Czech Republic during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championships at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
MELBOURNE, Australia – It wasn’t vintage Leylah Fernandez, but the 21-year-old from Laval, Que., found a way to grind out a victory on Saturday in her opening singles match at the 15-day Australian Open.
Fernandez, the lone Canadian competing in the women’s singles draw in Melbourne, needed a tiebreaker to win the first set 7-6 (5) in an hour against 17-year-old qualifier Sara Bejlek of Czechia, then won the second 6-2 in 31 minutes to advance.
Fernandez finished with two aces, two double faults, one tiebreak victory and 18 unforced errors.
Bejlek had no aces, one double fault and 12 unforced errors.
Fernandez was good on 71 per cent of her first serves and won 33 points on the first serve. She won eight service games and four return games.
Fernandez will play the winner of the match between American Alycia Parks and qualifier Daria Snigur of Ukraine.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2024.
