Fernandez Dazzles with Grit To Beat Tsurenko at Miami Open
WTA
Leylah Fernandez made a winning start at the 2023 Miami Open against the always-tricky Lesia Tsurenko.
Fernandez didn’t have the best year last year, failing to win 30 matches once more. The Canadian is a talented player but lacks consistency, which has been on display this year as well.
It hasn’t been the best start to the 2023 campaign for her, with an 8-5 record so far this year. That’s a fair mark, but it can be much better as she’s a player who made a Grand Slam final just two years ago when she lost to Emma Raducanu at the 2021 US Open.
In her first match in Miami, she faced Lesia Tsurenko. The Ukrainian is an experienced player capable of beating some of the best. Tsurenko can upset higher-ranked players, but this time around, Fernandez was simply better.
Fernandez ultimately spent 88 minutes on the court. The opening set was a proper rollercoaster in the truest possible way because Tsurenko actually started the match much better.
She took a 2-0 lead, taking advantage of a very jittery and disjointed showing from Fernandez. That lead ballooned to a 4-0 lead for Tsurenko, who recently withdrew from her match against Aryna Sabalenka in Indian Wells.
However, the Canadian player was able to stage a dramatic comeback. She won six games in a row to win the opening set 6-4. It was Fernandez at her best, just hitting the ball deep and precise, which is what made her nearly win the US Open a few years ago as well. The second set was far from clean, though.
Despite having just won six games in a row, Fernandez once again got broken first. She fell behind 0-2, battled back to 2-2, lost her serve again to trail 2-3, but then turned things around by winning four games in a row to win the second set 6-3, winning the match 6-4, 6-3 to reach the second round at the WTA 1000 event in Miami.
