Fernandez, 20, currently appears at No. 39 in the WTA rankings.
Photo: Qatar Total Energies Open
Dubai, United Arab Emirates) – After win the title in Doha last Saturday, the world number 1 Iga Swiatek already has her opponent who will make her debut in the first WTA 1000 of the season in Dubai. The Polish will be challenged by the Canadian Leylah Fernandez, 39th in the standings, who beat the Austrian Julia Grabher by 6/4 and 6/2.
Fernandez, 20, was a runner-up at the US Open in 2021 and also had a good campaign until the Roland Garros quarter-finals last year. She reached 13th in the standings but suffered a right foot injury which kept her out of Wimbledon and hampered her performance in the second half. In recent weeks, the Canadian has had to compete in WTA 500 qualifiers in Abu Dhabi and Doha.
A delicious angle! 📐@leylahfernandez | #DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/8thXq97VNa
– wta (@WTA) February 19, 2023
The only previous duel between them on the professional circuit was earlier last year in Adelaide, and Swiatek was far superior, winning 6/1, 6/2. At the time, the Pole was still ninth in the standings and had not even started her incredible series of 37 victories which took her to number 1 with a nice advantage over the other competitors.
Keys confirms his duel with Garcia, Pegula meets his rival
North American Madison Keys defeated Italian Jasmine Paolini 6-1 and confirmed the duel against French Caroline Garcia, seeded fourth. Already the third seed Jessica Pegula will face the Bulgarian who came from qualified Viktoriya Tomova, who beat the Estonian Kaia Kanepi by 6/3 and 6/1.
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