Leylah Annie Fernandez is having an excellent run on the Cincinnati Open. A day after saving match factors to shock world No. 4 Elena Rybakina, she took out final week’s Toronto semifinalist Diana Shnaider in straight units to achieve the quarter-finals in southern Ohio.
Not like her earlier two matches, Fernandez got here out of the gate rapidly. And whereas she did should mount a comeback within the second set, the Canadian managed to keep away from one other decider as she gained the final 5 video games in a row to achieve her second WTA 1000 quarter-final of the yr with a 6-1, 6-4 victory.
The Canadian hearth seven aces and broke serve 4 occasions within the win. She additionally defended her personal serve effectively, successful 83 per cent of her first-serve factors and saving 4 of 5 break factors on her personal serve.
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Fernandez obtained off to a red-hot begin within the opening set of the all-lefty showdown, utilizing her precision baseline recreation and counterpunching expertise to disrupt Shnaider’s timing. The Canadian secured two early breaks of serve to race forward 4-0 in simply 17 minutes.
She then escaped a break level likelihood, firing three consecutive aces to carry for a commanding 5-0 lead. Fernandez wrapped the opening set on serve 6-1 in simply 36 minutes.
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After lacking an opportunity to take the early break within the third recreation of the second set, Fernandez herself was damaged to go down 3-1. Regardless of strain to interrupt again from the Canadian, Shnaider saved a break level earlier than holding for a 4-1 lead.
That was as shut because the Nationwide Financial institution Open semifinalist would get. From there, it was all Fernandez as she gained the subsequent 5 video games in a row, breaking serve twice earlier than serving out the match to like.
The 21-year-old is thru to only her third WTA 1000 quarter-final and second of 2024, having beforehand reached the final eight in Doha in February.
She is going to sq. off towards one other participant who had a powerful run final week in Toronto, both Nationwide Financial institution Open champion Jessica Pegula or quarter-finalist Taylor Townsend, with a spot in her first WTA 1000 singles semifinal on the road.
