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Leylah Annie Fernandez isn’t any stranger to comeback wins, however what she did in opposition to Elena Rybakina on Thursday in Cincinnati was one thing else.
A day after rallying from a set and a break down against Yue Yuan, the Canadian did it once more in opposition to the world No. 4, this time saving a pair of match factors on the Kazakhstani’s serve at 6-5, 40-15 within the second set earlier than happening to steal the match in three units.
It was hardly a clear efficiency from both girl, however Rybakina light because the match went alongside. Fernandez took benefit of some sluggish service video games within the third set to nab a 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 win, her first over a Prime 5 participant for the reason that 2021 US Open.
Fernandez was capable of benefit from inconsistency from the previous Wimbledon champion, who had 17 double faults and 50 unforced errors, to interrupt serve six occasions on 17 break level probabilities.
Contemplating that Rybakina is likely one of the greatest servers on tour and Fernandez herself isn’t any slouch, it took half an hour for both girl to carry function the primary 4 video games went to the returner.
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It was the Kazakhstani discovering her vary first as she held for 3-2. Whereas Fernandez acquired her first maintain on the board within the following sport, Rybakina was cleansing up the errors that had value her early within the set. Her massive hitting started to dominate the rallies and he or she was capable of rating one other break to go up 5-3.
This time, there was no answering from the Canadian. Rybakina went up 40-love serving for the set and never even a web wire may deny her as a backhand dropped in for a winner on the second set level.
Twice within the second set, Fernandez broke to take the lead however each occasions, Rybakina instantly broke again. The second of these breaks set the Canadian as much as serve out the set at 5-3 however she performed a poor sport to let her opponent off the hook.
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That kicked off a run of three straight video games for Rybakina and he or she had the match on her racquet at 6-5, 40-15. However all of the sudden the world No. 4 dropped her degree, hitting back-to-back double faults to throw away the match factors and Fernandez broke to drive a tiebreak.
Regardless of letting a minibreak slip away early, Fernandez received the final 4 factors within the tiebreak in a row from 3-3 as Rybakina struggled to maintain the ball in play. The world No. 4 double-faulted on set level to ship the match to a decider.
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Rybakina’s sport continued to go downhill within the closing set. She fell behind love-40 on serve in back-to-back video games and whereas she bashed her manner out of the jam the primary time, she dumped a drop shot into the web on the second time of asking to go down 3-4.
For the primary time all match, Fernandez was capable of consolidate the break to maneuver forward 5-3. Whereas Rybakina was capable of maintain to drive the Canadian to serve for it, Fernandez had no subject ending off the upset, closing it out to like.
Subsequent up for Fernandez shall be final week’s National Bank Open semifinalist Diana Shnaider.
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