Leylah Annie Fernandez was the primary Canadian to kick off their 2025 Australian Open marketing campaign and the primary to succeed in spherical two, overcoming each the weather and Yuliia Starodubtseva in straight units on Sunday.
Opening the motion on Kia Area, Fernandez led for a lot of the match however needed to battle to place away Starodubsteva, who refused to let the Canadian run away with the match. Nonetheless, Fernandez had the solutions late in each units as she claimed a 7-5, 6-4 win.
The match was largely on the Canadian’s racket as her “refuse to surrender the baseline” model dictated the rallies. In consequence, she had greater than double her opponent’s winner depend, 31 to fifteen, but additionally had extra unforced errors with 45 to the Ukrainian’s 31. Break level effectivity was a deciding issue, as Fernandez transformed 5 of 10 break level probabilities whereas her opponent solely managed three breaks regardless of 11 alternatives.
Fernandez was sluggish off the mark as a slew of errors gave the Ukrainian probabilities to interrupt in a marathon opening sport. Thankfully for the Canadian, she was capable of conjure a few robust serves to avoid wasting the break factors and maintain.
She then shortly went on the offensive, ripping an enormous return to arrange a break level of her personal in Starodubtseva’s opening service sport. Fernandez punched a pleasant drop volley to take a 2-0 lead. She needed to battle to consolidate, combating again from 15-40 down within the subsequent sport however she managed to carry for 3-0.
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The pair exchanged breaks within the fifth and sixth video games so the Canadian managed to take care of her benefit, regardless of persevering with to fend off threats on serve. Serving for the set at 5-3, 15-0, the rain arrived and compelled the gamers again to the locker room for a number of hours.
Once they returned, it appeared Fernandez’s rhythm was damaged and three straight unforced errors on the restart gave the Ukrainian break factors. Whereas the Canadian battled again to deuce, back-to-back missed forehands handed the break to her opponent. Fernandez refound her vary on the good time, although. As Starodubtseva served to remain within the set at 5-6, the Canadian began blasting winners seemingly at will. She had 5 within the sport as she broke to wrap up the opening set.
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The second set adopted an analogous script as the primary, with Fernandez breaking early, the Ukrainian breaking again when the Canadian served for the set, solely to be damaged late.
This time, Fernandez obtained the one break of the early levels to take a 3-1 lead and she or he would journey that lone break till she served for the match at 5-3. She had missed a match level on her opponent’s serve within the earlier sport however had two probabilities to shut it out at 40-15 within the ninth sport. Nonetheless, errors once more value the Canadian as she let Starodubtseva again to deuce, the place the Ukrainian crushed back-to-back winners to interrupt.
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Undeterred, Fernandez responded instantly as her opponent served to remain within the match within the following sport. The Ukrainian appeared nervous together with her again in opposition to the wall and double-faulted to arrange a fourth match level. This time, she missed a forehand to ship the Canadian into the third spherical.
Fernandez is seeking to attain the third spherical of the Australian Open for the primary time. Standing between her and spherical three can be Spain’s Cristina Busca. The Canadian received their lone earlier assembly final summer season on the Olympics.
Félix Auger-Aliassime, who arrives in Melbourne contemporary off a title in Adelaide, will kick off his Australian Open on Monday in opposition to Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff, not earlier than 2 am EST.
Tickets for the Davis Cup Qualifiers 1st Spherical tie between Canada and Hungary are actually on sale. Be a part of us February 1 and a couple of at IGA Stadium in Montreal, because the Canadian workforce begins their quest for the 2025 Davis Cup Remaining 8. To entry tickets at early-bird pricing, click on right here.