(Charleston) Quebecer Leylah Annie Fernandez started her clay court season on the wrong foot Thursday after losing 6-4, 6-4 to American Sloane Stephens in the second round of the women’s tennis tournament in Charleston, Carolina from South.
Fernando, 14e top seed in the tournament, bowed after an hour and 45 minutes of play, losing her perfect 3-0 career record to Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champion.
The 21-year-old from Laval was particularly messy on serve, posting a success rate with her first ball of only 62.1%, compared to 73.2% for the 31-year-old American.
Additionally, Fernandez, 34e world racket, committed six double faults, and she converted only one of her two break points against Stephens. On the other hand, she was very generous in this aspect of the game with the 40e player in the world, who broke three times in nine occasions.
Stephens, who is seeking an eighth career singles title on the WTA circuit, will face compatriot Danielle Collins in the third round. The latter eliminated the reigning tournament champion, Tunisian Ons Jabeur, in three sets of 6-3, 1-6 and 6-3.
Fernandez, who had a second-round bye, was scheduled to begin his tournament Wednesday evening, but his duel against Stephens was postponed due to rain.
Mother Nature therefore slowed down the progress of the day on Wednesday, and the first matches began around 5:30 p.m.
Among those who were able to perform in the evening was Daria Kasatkina, who came from behind after being blanked in the second set to dispose of the American Ashlyn Kruger 6-3, 0-6, 6-1 in the second round.
Kasatkina, seeded fourth, rarely participates in the first clay court tournament of the season – only her fifth appearance in Charleston since 2016 – although she seems to enjoy it when she is there . She triumphed in 2017 and, after ending a five-year absence last year, lost in the semi-finals to eventual champion Ons Jabeur.
On the other hand, the 10e Top seed Emma Navarro, the daughter of tournament owner Ben Navarro, defeated American Katie Volynets 6-1, 6-1.
PHOTO GEOFF BURKE, USA TODAY SPORTS ARCHIVES VIA REUTERS CON
Emma Navarro
Furthermore, fifth seed Beatriz Haddad Maia erased a 2-5 deficit in the second set before defeating American Caroline Dolehide 6-2, 7-5.
Veronika Kudermetova, who won this tournament in 2021 and is the ninth seed this year, ousted American Shelby Rogers 7-6 (5), 6-4.
Earlier today, Victoria Azarenka and Anhelina Kalinina continued in the third round.
Azarenka, 12e seeded, defeated Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-1, 6-2, while Kalinina eliminated Danish Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 6-3.
“It was a long day,” admitted Azarenka, referring to the rain delays. I was happy that my match was pushed back about an hour, because I was a little sleepy. But I was happy to finally be able to jump on the field. »
Ekaterina Alexandrova, bo 6, was surprised 7-5, 6-2 by the American Taylor Townsend.
Astra Sharma toppled 16e seeded Lesia Tsurenko 6-4, 6-0.