LONDON | She came pretty close, Leylah Fernandez. But the tenacity that made the reputation of the Quebecer was not enough in front of the fifth seed, Caroline Garcia, who eliminated her in the second round of Wimbledon Thursday, after a superb duel that animated the crowd throughout .
In this confrontation which was a bit like the female version of David against Goliath, Garcia ahead of Leylah by 90 places in the standings at the moment, it was Goliath who triumphed this time.
Again, in fact, because the French had already had the upper hand on Fernandez twice this season, in tough matches disputed in Melbourne and Indian Wells. And this time it was tight as possible, since Garcia won 3-6, 6-4 and 7-6 (6), in 2h31 of play.
“I’m so disappointed”
On the pretty court 3, the amateurs attended a lively spectacle, during which the 20-year-old Lavallois showed great combativeness throughout in front of the powerful strikes of her rival.
But Leylah being so made, she was unable to rejoice at having fought a good battle at the fifth world.
What she wanted at all costs was victory. “It’s hard to lose. I don’t like to lose, she said, disappointed but not demolished, in front of the journalists. […] I’m so disappointed. I try to smile, because I know it was a good battle.
“But I saw the statistics, it was played out at one point [109 à 108 en faveur de la Française]“, Lamented the young player.
Leylah also had her chances in the ultimate tiebreaker. But while she had quickly taken the lead, she saw the experienced Garcia, 29 and last year’s WTA Finals champion, gradually come back up, until she could raise her arms to the sky as a of celebration.
She can’t wait to find her mother
All the same, Fernandez will be able to leave England with something positive in his luggage. She won her first victory at the All England Club this week.
She also found that her game had improved after several difficult months. “I am happy with myself, with my work, she finally conceded. […] I like the aggressiveness in my game. I made fewer unforced errors, I also improved my service, my return.
This return to the house, where she is very eager to see her mother, with whom she has not spent time for “three or four months”, it will however not be for now.
After reaching the final at Roland-Garros in doubles last month alongside her, the Quebecer will play again with American Taylor Townsend. She is also registered in mixed doubles, where she will form a pair with the Dutchman Wesley Koolhof.