Leylah Annie Fernandez continued her efficient start at the 2026 US Open on Wednesday, advancing to the third round of the year's final major with another straight-set win. She dispatched Mananchaya Sawangkaew to reach round three in New York for the third time in her career.
A quick start set up the lone Canadian woman in the singles draw well as she kept her nose in front throughout the match. Despite Sawangkaew battling back multiple times, Fernandez had all the answers and was able to advance with a 6-4, 6-1 win.
The Canadian was the cleaner of the two out on Court 7, hitting 12 winners to her opponent's 10 and committing 11 fewer unforced errors. She also converted six of eight break-point chances while saving six of the nine on her own serve.
Fernandez picked up where she left off after her solid round-one win, breaking Sawangkaew in the Thai's opening service game on her way to a quick 3-0 lead. A sloppy game by the Canadian gifted the break back for 3-2, but the Thai could not capitalize on the reprieve as Fernandez immediately broke again to go back up a break.
Sawangkaew was not going away quietly. As the Lavalloise tried to serve out the set at 5-3, a couple of backhand misses opened the door for the Thai to get back on serve. She missed her first break-point chance but on the second, ripped a line-clipping backhand winner to recover the break. However, just like the last time she broke, Sawangkaew could not consolidate. Serving to stay in it at 4-5, she double-faulted to go down love-40 and on her second set point, Fernandez blasted a forehand winner up the line to wrap up the opening frame.
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Set two got off to a similar start, with the Canadian breaking for a quick 2-0 lead. This time, she failed to consolidate but the same pattern of Sawangkaew being unable to back up her own breaks carried over into the second set. The Thai broke for 1-2, only to double fault to go down 15-40 in the next game and missed a backhand to give Fernandez the advantage right back.
That break of the Fernandez serve in the third game was the only resistance the Thai could muster in the second set. The Lavalloise pulled off an impressive hold from 15-40 down to go up 4-1 and then Sawangkaew fell apart in the subsequent service game, committing back-to-back double faults from 40-15 up before a pair of forehand misses that were nowhere close to the court gave the Canadian a chance to serve out the match.
Unlike the first set, Fernandez did not blink trying to close it out. She only dropped one more point and punched her ticket to round three on her first match point with an ace.
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Fernandez will face an accomplished American in round three, either world No. 3 Jessica Pegula or former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.
Denis Shapovalov will also be in action on Wednesday, taking on Luca Van Assche.
The Davis Cup is coming to Quebec City September 18 and 19 as Team Canada hosts France in the Davis Cup Qualifiers Second Round. Tickets are on sale now. CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR TICKETS!
Feature Photo: Martin Sidorjak
