Leylah Fernández needed much more time than expected to win her first round match at the Australian Open, a match that, on paper, seemed to give her the advantage. But in the Quebecer’s defense, it’s not really due to her performance on the court.
• Read more: Leave a premiere title in 2025 for Félix Auger-Aliassime
The rain is the place of celebration of this holiday for tennis fans, and at the same time, the day of the ball of many players registered in the great table of Melbourne, which disputeient leurs matches sur des courts qui n’étaient It is equipped with a retractable toy.
While Leylah, 30my seeded in Australia, finally finished a match that began at 7 pm from Saturday to Sunday (Quebec time).
In fact, between the first point of the match and Fernández’s moment to savor the qualification for the second round, neuf heures s’étaient écoulées!
The native of Laval did not always help herself by allowing the Ukrainian Yuliia Starodubtseva (100th in the WTA) to come back on some occasions, but she finally won 7-5 and 6-4, in 2 hours and 11 minutes of play.
“Oh my God! It was a very, very long day. I don’t know how you still manage to be here! Leylah told fans still in the Kia Area stands during her post-match interview.
A premiere in tête
Fernández, 22, will now face the Romanian Cristina Bucsa, 110my world championship, which he won in the only match of his career: it was last year, on the clay in Paris, within the framework of the Olympic Games.
In the key to this match, a first qualification for the third round in Melbourne, and a powerful face to face with the American Coco Gauff, the third jersey of the competition series.
Leylah, however, will have to eliminate some silliness from her game if she is to continue her journey in Australia. Against Starodubtseva, the US Open finalist committed four more of 45 unforced errors and six double errors. Coincidentally, he knew how to find spaces on the court, also hitting 31 winners.
He had broken his opponent, whom he faced for the first time, early in the match, and then served for the opening round when rain interrupted the match. To return to earth, Fernández broke down again, prolonging this little debate. Without too much damage, however.
A single uniform representative will be in action for Australia’s second international day. Fort de son titre reported Samedi to Adélaïde, Félix Auger-Aliassime (29my seed) will face German Jan-Lennard Struff, ranked 43rd in the world, at 2 a.m. ET on Sunday night.
