In a surprising turn of events, Leylah Fernandez faced a setback against Switzerland’s Rebeka Masarova, ranked No. 160, losing 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the Italian Open’s round of 64 on Friday.
The talent from Laval, Quebec, started strong, clinching the first set. However, Masarova rallied back in the second and showcased her prowess in the final set, winning an impressive 95% of her first-serve points and leaving Fernandez without any break-point opportunities.
Leylah, who holds the 23rd spot in world rankings and is seeded 25th in Rome, concluded the match with one ace and a total of five double faults.
Masarova capitalized on her chances, converting five out of ten break points during the intense two-hour and twenty-three-minute clay-court battle.
Meanwhile, Montreal’s Félix Auger-Aliassime, the only Canadian remaining in singles competition, is set to go up against Argentina’s Mariano Navone in the round of 64 on Saturday.
In the doubles segment, Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski, paired with Brazil’s Luisa Stefani and seeded fourth, will kick off the tournament against Czechia’s Marie Bouzkova and Russia’s Anna Panova. Additionally, Fernandez will team up with Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto to challenge Americans Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova.
