Canada's Leylah Fernandez achieved a significant milestone at the National Bank Open on Friday, securing a dominant 6-1, 6-4 victory over fifth-seeded Russian player, Mirra Andreeva. This win marked her first triumph against a top-10 opponent within the current season, highlighting a noteworthy achievement in her career.
Competing as the No. 30 seed, Fernandez demonstrated her control throughout the third-round match, which took place at Sobeys Stadium on a muggy and overcast afternoon. Her performance was characterized by strong gameplay that kept Andreeva under constant pressure.
In the second set, after falling behind at 2-5, Andreeva managed to secure her first break, adding some tension to the match. However, Fernandez remained composed and ultimately served out the match, finishing in a swift 80 minutes. Despite her efforts, Andreeva struggled with a series of unforced errors and was unable to find a rhythm against the crowd favorite from Laval, Quebec. With this victory, Fernandez improved her season record to 15-20.
Fernandez’s win was particularly significant as she became the last Canadian player remaining in the WTA 1000 hardcourt tournament. With her current record against top-10 players now standing at 1-4, she is set to face either Belgium’s Elise Mertens or Japan’s Naomi Osaka in the upcoming fourth round, further raising the stakes of her performance in the tournament.
The tournament has been challenging for other Canadian players, as five wild-card entries were eliminated in the first round. Additionally, Canada's Katherine Sebov from Toronto and Kayla Cross from London, Ontario, faced defeats in the second round, adding to the struggles of Canadian representation in the competition.
On the doubles front, the first-round match on Friday featured a pairing of Cross and Bianca Andreescu from Mississauga, Ontario, who faced off against American player Quinn Gleason and Norway’s Ulrikke Eikeri. Unfortunately, they lost the match with a score of 6-4, 7-6 (3), marking the end of their journey in the doubles draw as they were the last Canadian team competing.
Earlier, Fernandez and her sister, Bianca Fernandez, were eliminated in their opener on Thursday, while Gabriela Dabrowski from Ottawa also faced defeat in her first match alongside Russian partner Ekaterina Alexandrova. This series of losses highlighted a challenging tournament for Canadian talents across both singles and doubles events.
As the tournament progresses, the late match was expected to feature rising Filipino star Alexandra Eala, seeded No. 25, who was set to compete against American player Caty McNally. The outcomes of these matches will continue to shape the dynamics of the tournament and the representation of Canadian players in future rounds.
