(Madrid) Quebecer Leylah Fernandez was broken at the end of the third set on Saturday, and Tunisian Ons Jabeur took advantage of it to win a long duel 7-5, 2-6 and 6-4, in the third round of the Open tennis court in Madrid.
Apart from the second round, Fernandez (35e) experienced service difficulties. She offered 18 break points to Jabeur (ninth), notably committing six double faults.
Both players won exactly 106 points in this hard-fought match which lasted 2 hours 26 minutes.
Jabeur had won the two previous duels between the two women on the WTA circuit, in 2020 and 2021. She will now play against Latvian Jelena Ostapenko (10e), who won 6-3 and 6-3 against Argentina’s Maria Lourdes Carle (82e) in the round of 16.
PHOTO MARIJAN MURAT, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Ons Jabeur
Fernandez started the match strong, winning his first game in four rallies, then breaking his opponent’s first serve. Jabeur, who won this tournament in 2022, however managed a break herself a few games later to return to equal service.
At 3-2, Fernandez gave himself two more break points without being able to take advantage. The scenario repeated itself in the ninth game, but with the roles reversed. Fernandez finally faltered in his final service game, allowing Jabeur to serve for the set.
Fernandez was much more efficient serving in the second set, offering no break opportunities to Jabeur, eight years his senior. She won the last four games of the set, forcing a deciding set with her third set point.
In the third, the two players exchanged two breaks before Fernandez gave in a third time.
Quebecer Félix Auger-Aliassime (35e) must face the French Adrian Mannarino (20e), later. Mannarino won the only clash between the two men. It was in Cincinnati last year.
Ontarian Denis Shapovalov (132e) is also in the running and has a meeting with the German Alexander Zverev (fifth) on Sunday.