Leylah Fernandez wanted a serious confidence enhance after back-to-back opening-round exits on the Nationwide Financial institution Open in Montreal and the Cincinnati Open.
The 22-year-old from Laval, Que., obtained it Monday night time in Mexico with a 6-3, 7-5 first-round victory over Jaqueline Cristian of Romania on the WTA 500 Monterrey Open, the place she is a former two-time champion.
The seventh-seeded Fernandez, who posted on Instagram that “I wish to suppose each setback is only a setup for the comeback,” gained the primary set in 35 precision-filled minutes.
Each gamers stayed on serve within the tight second set till Fernandez broke Cristian at 5-5, then served out to win 7-5 to take the match in a single hour, 33 minutes.
Fernandez, who gained the Washington Open final month, advances to the spherical of 16 and can face the winner of a match between Rebecca Sramkova of Slovakia and Victoria Rodriguez of Mexico.
Cristian, who obtained stronger as Monday’s match progressed, completed with 5 aces and three double faults. Fernandez had three aces and one double fault.
Fernandez held a bonus on first serves, successful 86 per cent of her factors on first serve, in comparison with 76 for Cristian.
Fernandez gained two of 5 break factors and took 24 factors whereas receiving. Cristian had 23 unforced errors, 11 greater than Fernandez.
