NEW YORK — Leylah Fernandez’s journey in the U.S. Open singles has come to a close.
The talented athlete from Laval, Quebec, fell to Belarus’s top-ranked player, Aryna Sabalenka, with a score of 6-3, 7-6 (2) during a gripping third-round clash that lasted 1 hour and 37 minutes.
Even though Sabalenka recorded more unforced errors (18-12) and double faults (4-3) compared to the 31st seed Fernandez, she also boasted a stronger offense with 25 winners and 6 aces to Fernandez’s 22 and 5, respectively.
Savalenka thwarted all five break points she encountered and converted one of her three break chances, while Fernandez was unable to capitalize on her five opportunities, which proved costly in the second set.
Sabalenka controlled the match with 56 service points and secured 11 service games, while Fernandez managed to claim 39 service points and nine service games.
With this victory, Sabalenka progresses to the round of 16, where she will compete against Moldova’s Cristina Bucsa on Sunday.
Fernandez, however, isn’t done just yet. She will return to the court alongside her women’s doubles partner, the legendary Venus Williams, on Saturday to take on Japan’s Eri Hozumi and Norway’s Ulrikke Eikeri.
Fernandez made her way to the third round by defeating France’s Elsa Jacquemot with a comeback score of 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 on Wednesday.
In a thrilling upset, Fernandez and Williams triumphed over the sixth-seeded team of Ukraine’s Lyudmyla Kichenok and Australia’s Ellen Perez with a score of 7-6 (4), 6-3 in their opening round on Thursday.
