Leylah Annie Fernandez lost 6-2, 7-5 to Czech Karolina Plíšková in the final round of the qualifying tournament in Doha on Monday, while compatriot Rebecca Marino earned her ticket to the main draw. The 20-year-old athlete bowed out after an hour and 32 minutes of play.
Plíšková, the favorite in the qualifying table and 19e world player, used her power to defeat the seventh-seeded Quebecer. She notably fired 10 aces, against only one for Fernandez, and was more opportunistic than her in a break situation. The Czech notably stole the Lavalloise’s serve four times on as many occasions, and she only conceded hers once in seven.
It was the first game between the two players.
Meanwhile, Rebecca Marino upset Czech Marie Bouzková 7-5, 6-1 in an hour and 35 minutes. She will face in the first round the Russian Daria Kasatkina, seeded sixth. Marina, 75e world racket, is now 1-1 against Bouzková, seeded second in the qualifying table. The British Columbian had suffered a defeat against the 26e player in the world in the first round of the Australian Open in 2022.
Marino was more efficient than her rival on serve – she won 78.6% of the points on her first serve, against 59.1% for her opponent – and she was less messy in her game in general. in particular committed five double faults, against only one for the representative of the maple leaf, and she was the victim of four breakages in 14 occasions. In comparison, Marino gave up his serve only once in five attempts.
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