Explore the latest developments concerning Fernandez's marathon win,.
Fernandez's marathon win, Kostyuk's retirement headline Day 3 in Ningbo
Leylah Fernandez came from 5-3 down in the opening set before surviving a 3-hour, 3-minute shot-making duel to defeat qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-3 in the BNB Ningbo Open second round Wednesday.
The result sends the Canadian to her fifth WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz quarterfinal of 2026 and her first in Ningbo. She improved to 3-2 overall against Sasnovich, including 3-0 on hard courts. Despite the challenges Sasnovich presented, Fernandez said staying positive and composed was the key to advancing.
"Just enjoying the battle," Fernandez said in her on-court interview. "It was so tough, but it was also so much fun playing in front of a wonderful crowd in a great stadium. So I'm just happy I was able to stay positive and calm in those moments. But I just hope it doesn't happen again and I get to keep my focus up for the whole match."
Vocabulary Builder – Learning: Master 19000+ English words with Tinder-style swipe learning, 4 quiz types, and smart spaced repetition. GRE, TOEFL, IELTS & SAT prep included!
Canada's Leylah Fernandez beats Russia's Alexandrova to reach Ningbo semifinals
Canada's Leylah Fernandez moved closer to her second WTA title of the season with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 win over Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova in quarterfinal action Friday at the Ningbo Open.
Fernandez evened her career record against Alexandrova at 3-3 after her second win over the Russian in as many weeks.
The 24-year-old from Laval, Que., was dominant after dropping the first set, scoring four breaks while surrendering none over the next two sets.
Fernandez said she sensed an opportunity to turn things around despite losing the opening set.
“I would say it's the attitude, the fight, the enjoyment of the battle here. And the first set, she started off strong, but I knew I was close. I was close to breaking her. I was like figuring things out,” Fernandez said in an on-court interview. "I just continued with that self-belief and it definitely helped in the second and third set."
For more detailed information, explore updates concerning Fernandez's marathon win,.
0 Comments