ABU DHABI — Canada’s Leylah Fernandez charged into the second round of the Abu Dhabi Open tennis tournament on Tuesday, securing an exciting victory over Japanese lucky loser Moyuka Uchijima with scores of 7-6(3), 7-6(0).
Despite being the eighth seed, Fernandez faced challenges, recording eight double faults and struggling with her second serve against Uchijima, who stepped in after Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova withdrew from the event.
The 22-year-old from Laval, Quebec, showcased her grit by clinching 14 out of 17 points in crucial tiebreaks, setting the stage for a thrilling second-round showdown against New Zealand’s Lulu Sun.
Both players demonstrated impressive resilience, each saving eight out of 13 break points in a gripping match that lasted two hours and eight minutes.
Currently ranked 27th in the world, Fernandez improved her season record to 6-3 and is looking to build on her recent third-round success at the Australian Open.
Sun, sitting at 45th in the rankings, is still in search of her first singles victory of 2025.