Of the three Canadians in action Monday at Mexico’s Guadalajara 2 tournament, only Leylah Fernandez was unable to advance to the second round.
• Read also: A step forward for Félix Auger-Aliassime
• Read also: WTA: false start for Leylah Fernandez in San Diego
She was thus unable to join her compatriots Rebecca Marino and Bianca Andreescu in the round of 32 of this WTA 1000 series event.
It must be said that the 20-year-old Montrealer did not inherit the easiest client from the start. 7-6 (10) and 6-3.
Fernandez, who is 41st, saved five match points in the final game of the second set, before forcing a final set against the 25-year-old Swiss. Bencic learned her lesson as she took advantage of her first match point of the third inning to eliminate the representative of the maple leaf.
Fernandez also had a rather ordinary day with the balls in hand, putting into play only 59% of his first balls, winning 79% of the rallies that followed. She also gave her opponent nine break points, losing serve five times. In return, she also benefited from nine break points, but converted only three of her chances.
Dominant Andreescu
As for her, Andreescu was formidable in return, easily overcoming the Swiss Jil Teichmann in two sets of 6-2 and 6-4.
The Canadian, currently 59th in the WTA rankings, took the first three games serving Teichmann, as well as the first of the second set. She thus gave herself a good cushion during each set, heading for victory in 81 minutes.
In total, the winner took advantage of five of her seven break points. Teichmann also put only 52% of her first serve points in play and only won one out of two points when she started the rally. She still slammed five aces.
Herself broken twice, Andreescu will have an appointment in the second round with the Czech Petra Kvitova (21st), faller of Bernarda Pera (42nd).
Marina without worries
Andreescu isn’t the only Canadian to excel in the first round. Fellow Canadian Rebecca Marino advanced by defeating American Ann Li in straight sets 6-2, 7-6 (2).
The Torontonian has experienced a meteoric rise in the rankings since her return to the WTA Tour. She showed Monday that she was still not satisfied with her 80th position, overcoming another better ranked opponent (65th).
Marino completely dominated the first set, winning the last four games there. The 31-year-old athlete got a little more for his money in the second set, victim of a break at 2-2. She, however, played the same trick on Li again by commanding the second half of the set, erasing a 5-3 deficit to force a tiebreaker. Marino played with panache to close the debate with his first match point and win in 1 h 21 min.
The French Caroline Garcia, sixth seed and 10th racket in the world, awaits him in the second round after having benefited from a pass.