Leylah Fernandez will be playing in the second round of the 2023 Miami Open after she defeated Lesia Tsurenko in the first round.
During the first leg of the Sunshine Double at Indian Wells, Tsurenko made it to the third round but withdrew from the match against the second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus.
This time, she wanted to fight for a third-round spot at the WTA 1000 tournament again, but Fernandez stood in her way as she wanted to improve her 2023 record on the WTA Tour after previous struggles following her sensational run to the 2021 US Open final.
In the match, the young Canadian, currently ranked 53rd in the WTA Rankings, displayed her signature grit and determination to advance to the second round, overcoming a series of early setbacks against Ukrainian qualifier Tsurenko.
The match commenced with Fernandez facing an unnerving 0-4 deficit in the first set. However, instead of allowing the pressure to get to her, the 20-year-old dug deep and staged an impressive comeback.
Demonstrating strategic shot-making, Fernandez clawed her way back to claim the set after winning four consecutive games, 6-4, and completely turning the momentum of the match around.
The second set witnessed another surge from Tsurenko, who managed to secure a 3-2 lead with a break. But Fernandez refused to back down once again.
Rallying her way back into contention, she reclaimed the set with a 6-3 victory, ultimately triumphing over her opponent and securing her place in the tournament's second round with a 6-4, 6-3 win.
Looking forward, Fernandez is set to face off against the ninth-seeded Belinda Bencic in an attempt to make a deep run at the 2023 Miami Open, a one that she really needs after failing to find her top level for over a year.
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