Leylah Annie Fernandez dominated fifth-ranked Mirra Andreeva 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the round of 16 at the National Bank Open in Toronto on Friday. The Canadian will see the round of 16 at the NBO for the second time in her seven career appearances at the tournament.
It was a masterclass performance from the 34th-ranked Fernandez, who has won back-to-back hard court matches for the first time this season. The Lavalloise played a near-flawless match in front of the home crowd on Centre Court, committing just four unforced errors in the first set and winning 89 per cent of her first-serve points overall.
Andreeva was off all afternoon, with very few positives to take from the losing performance. She allowed Fernandez to dictate the pace of the match in the opening set, and any adjustments in the second were quickly met with answers from the Lavalloise.
The reigning Roland-Garros champion was wild in the first set, as she uncorked 14 unforced errors, 11 on her forehand, to hand Fernandez two breaks to fall behind 5-1. The Canadian followed up with a tidy service game to cap off a fantastic first set. Fernandez did not face a break point throughout the set and won 100 per cent of her first serve points.
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Fernandez’s stunning run continued to open the second set, as she broke Andreeva for the third time and followed up with a hold at love to win her seventh straight game. Fernandez would not relent, following up with her fourth straight break and another hold to put Andreeva down two breaks and in a near-insurmountable hole, down 4-0 in the second set.
Fernandez cracked open the door late in the second set, committing her first unforced error of the second set to hand a game to Andreeva, breaking a streak of nine straight for the Canadian.
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Whenever Andreeva began to show signs of life, the unforced errors on her forehand would set her back again and again as she appeared more frustrated with each passing point. It was her 26th forehand unforced error that put Fernandez on the brink of victory up 5-1 in the second set.
Andreeva gave herself a glimmer of hope very late in the second, breaking Fernandez for the first time in the match and then consolidating to put pressure on the Canadian at 5-4, though she would get no closer.
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Fernandez had been calm and collected throughout the match, but the emotion poured out of her in the final game as Andreeva hit yet another forehand return into the net to give the Canadian the set and match.
Fernandez had breezed through the second round with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Renata Zarazua on Wednesday. She will face the winner between No. 20 Elise Mertens and No. 11 Naomi Osaka on Sunday.
Read also: Full Results from Toronto on Friday
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Feature Photo: Morgan Givens/Wick Photography for National Bank Open
