Leylah Annie Fernandez was never able to unsettle world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the second round of the Dubai Tennis Championship on Tuesday, eventually losing 6-1, 6-1.
The 20-year-old Quebecer gave in after one hour and twelve minutes. The 37e racket in the world is now 0-2 in career against Swiatek, having gone down 6-1, 6-2 in the round of 16 at the 2022 Adelaide tournament.
The match started badly for Fernandez, who was broken in her first service game. Swiatek quickly established his game and demonstrated his superiority, forging a 3-0 lead in the process.
Swiatek concluded the first set with 10 winners, against only four for the Lavalloise. Plus, she smashed the 2021 U.S. Open runner-up three of four times in the first set alone — and she didn’t lose her nerve, even though Fernandez snatched her serve on her only chance in the set. sleeve.
The Polish steamroller continued its work in the second set, finishing the game with five aces, six breaks and only one double fault. She sealed the game with a winning shot down the line, in return for service.
Tournament favorite Swiatek is eyeing a second singles title this season and a 13e career total on the WTA Tour.
She will face in the next round the Russian Liudmila Samsonova, 14e seeded in the tournament.
For her part, Fernandez will be able to recover in the women’s doubles tournament. The representative of the maple leaf and her American playing partner Bethany Mattek-Sands will meet Wednesday morning in the round of 16 with China’s Xu Yifan and Russia’s Aliaksandra Sasnovich.