The singles attracts for the Canadians on the 2023 US Open had been tough to say the least.
A day after both men were eliminated in the first round, the remaining Canadians in singles had been eradicated as each Leylah Annie Fernandez and Rebecca Marino, the one two Canadian ladies within the singles, misplaced their opening matches.
It was a gutsy efficiency that Canadian tennis followers have change into accustomed to from Fernandez even in defeat because the 20-year-old misplaced a heartbreaker 7-6(4), 5-7, 6-4 to world no. 20 Ekaterina Alexandrova in her opening spherical match on the U.S. Open on Tuesday afternoon.
On paper, the competition had the potential to be an in depth one, particularly since they’d break up their first two conferences, and that’s precisely what occurred over three hours of intense, back-and-forth play between two adversaries with contrasting recreation types.
Within the opening set, Fernandez, the 2021 finalist in New York, twice went up a break however was unable to consolidate her lead with a maintain of serve. Within the tiebreak, she erased a 2-4 deficit and as soon as once more her opponent was unphased as she reeled off three straight factors to seal the deal in a set that would have gone both approach.
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The Canadian discovered herself down a break in set two at 1-3 and appeared on her approach out of the event. Not solely did she get again on even phrases, however she additionally served for the set twice and eventually transformed her second alternative within the twelfth recreation to degree the match and power a decisive third body.
Within the closing set, the large momentum swings continued as Alexandrova, who reached the ultimate of the WTA event in Cleveland over the weekend, returned to the court docket decided to step up her aggression and hit even greater off the bottom. Her plan propelled her to a 3-0 lead and compelled Fernandez to climate the storm as soon as extra, which she did in spectacular trend as her preventing spirit continued to shine by way of. She saved a break level to keep away from taking place 0-4 after which managed to win 4 straight video games and had an opportunity to up 5-3, however simply couldn’t maintain on to her benefit and that was the opening Alexandrova wanted to return away with a hard-fought victory to achieve spherical two.
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The loss caps the North American exhausting court docket summer time for Fernandez which was highlighted by a third-round look on the Nationwide Financial institution Open introduced by Rogers in Montreal, a consequence which allowed her to leap again into the highest 70 on the WTA rankings.
Marino Final Canadian Eradicated in Singles
Hopes for no less than one Canadian advancing in New York fell to Rebecca Marino, however the Vancouverite was unable to drag by way of as she was edged in two tight units by Patricia Maria Tig.
The Canadian, who reached the third spherical of the US Open final 12 months, rallied from a break down in each units, however got here up quick in two tiebreaks to exit with a 7-6(6), 7-6(1) loss.
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A couple of key factors in the end made the distinction as Marino hit extra winners, 29 to twenty, and had extra break level alternatives, however she additionally had way more unforced errors with 41 to Tig’s 32 and solely received 39 per cent of her second serve factors.
Tig obtained off to a robust begin, breaking Marino within the third recreation, however the Canadian responded instantly by breaking again within the following recreation. The Romanian had a pair of break factors within the fifth recreation to reclaim the lead, however an error and a Marino winner erased the menace.
Marino utilized strain to the Tig function the Romanian served to remain in it at 4-5 and 5-6 however couldn’t create a set level. She then discovered herself down a minibreak twice early within the tiebreak. Regardless of Marino rallying and main 5-3 on her personal serve, Tig upped her energy and received 5 of the final six factors, capping off the set with a forehand winner adopted by an unreturnable serve.
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It seemed like Tig would run away with the match when she broke for a 2-0 lead, however similar to the primary set Marino responded instantly, ripping back-to-back forehand winners to get again on serve. The Canadian received 4 straight video games to go up 4-2 and served for the set at 5-4, even holding a set level however missed a forehand. Nonetheless, Tig fought again to interrupt for 5-5.
Not like the opening set tiebreak, it was one-way visitors for the Romanian who raced out to a 5-0 lead and by no means seemed again to safe the win.
For the primary time since 2008, no Canadians superior to the second spherical of the US Open in singles. Fernandez and Gabriela Dabrowski are competing in the women’s doubles.
