Quebecer Leylah Fernandez was defeated in the second round at the National Bank Open in Toronto.
Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia, 24e in the world, surprised the 13e seeded 7-6 (4) 6-1.
Maia had the upper hand 4-2 for breaks and 5-1 for aces, winning in 98 minutes.
The Brazilian will have a heavy task in the third round, when she will play against the favorite, Iga Swiatek.
Fernandez was playing in his first tournament after missing two months with a broken right foot.
The score was 3-3 on the deadlock, after which Maia took control with a game winner, an unforced error from her rival and a spike, in that order. Maia raced to victory after leading 3-0 in the second set.
Later, in doubles, Fernandez and her sister Bianca lost to Alexa Guarachi and Andreja Klepac, 6-1 and 6-2. “It’s not easy going through two losses,” said Leylah Fernandez. I am still happy to have resumed competition, to have been able to test the foot and [tout] the body. Physically, I feel very good. »
Last game in Canada for Serena Williams
Legendary Serena Williams lost to Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-4 in the second round. Williams, who turns 41 in September, announced his intention to retire at the end of the season on Tuesday. She received three standing ovations before the duel against Bencic, which was sold out. The 12,500 Canadian fans heavily favored Williams.
Bencic, 12e seed, said after the match that she was always honored to play against Williams and that Wednesday night belongs entirely to the American.
Champion of 23 prestigious tournaments, Williams is in her last appearance at the Canadian event. She is expected to end her career after the US Open, which begins on August 29.
As these lines were being written, Ontario’s Bianca Andreescu wrapped up Wednesday night’s program by facing Alizé Cornet.
Italy’s Camila Giorgi continued her title defense by defeating Belgium’s Elise Mertens 6-3, 7-5, in the second round.
Giorgi, who triumphed in Montreal in 2021, needed 92 minutes to beat her 37-ranked rivale in the world.
Mertens was opportunistic, taking advantage of each of the three break points she got. However, she was the victim of five breaks of service during the game.
Ranked 29e in the world, Giorgi will face in the next round Jessica Pegula, who defeated fellow American, Asia Muhammad.
Swiatek made short work of Australian Ajla Tomljanovic. The Pole won 6-1, 6-2 in 64 minutes.
Estonia’s second-seeded Anett Kontaveit was defeated 6-4, 6-4 by Jill Teichmann, 21e in the world.
Teichmann’s next rival will be Simona Halep, 15e headliner and winner of two major tournaments.
It’s also the end in Toronto for Ons Jabeur, the fifth seed and runner-up at Wimbledon this year. She retired with China’s Qinwen Zheng leading 6-1, 2-1.
American Coco Gauff struggled for 2 hours and 49 minutes before beating Kazakh Elena Rybakina 6-4.6-7 (8), 7-6 (3).
Both players multiplied powerful shots, but Rybakina was ultimately handicapped by a low first-serve rate of 45.5%.
Finalist last year, the Czech Karolina Pliskova, 14e seeded, beat American Amanda Anisimova 6-1.6-1.