MIAMI, Fla. — Leylah Fernandez showcased her tennis prowess by advancing to the third round of the Miami Open tournament, triumphing over Alycia Parks from the United States with a score of 7-6 (1), 6-3 on Thursday.
Following a commanding performance in the first-set tiebreaker, Fernandez maintained her momentum in the second set, achieving three breaks of serve while conceding one. She skillfully captured 59.3% of the total points played in the match.
This victory marked Fernandez’s second win against Parks, their initial clash occurring at the 2024 Australian Open.
On the men’s side, Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo secured his place in the next round with an impressive 6-3, 6-0 victory over Argentina’s Tomás Etcheverry.
The 22-year-old Fernandez, hailing from Laval, Quebec, is now poised to face American Ashlyn Krueger as she aims for her first-ever appearance in the Round of 16 at this prestigious WTA 1000 event.
Entering the tournament as the 26th seed, Fernandez received a bye to the second round.
Diallo, standing tall at six-foot-eight, made the most out of his opportunity as a lucky loser, having been knocked out in the final qualifying round. He swiftly dispatched Etcheverry in just 74 minutes.
Despite battling through 27 unforced errors, Diallo found his rhythm, notching up six aces and converting five out of eight break points.
Looking ahead, Diallo is set for a rematch against 17th seed Arthur Fils of France, who previously defeated him in the second round of Indian Wells earlier this month.
Currently, Diallo holds a 1-1 record against Fils, having bested the French player in their encounter during the second round of the 2024 U.S. Open.
