Leylah Annie Fernandez is off and running at the Miami Open, taking down American Alycia Parks in straight sets on Thursday in her first match of the tournament. The Canadian is into the third round of the WTA 1000 event for the second year in a row.
The power of Parks caused Fernandez trouble at times but the Canadian’s counterpunching skills ultimately won the day. Fernandez was able to grind her way to a 7-6(1), 6-3 victory.
Despite putting less than 50 per cent of her first serves in play, Fernandez was strong when landing her delivery, winning 80 per cent of those points. She did a good job of creating opportunities in the face of Parks’ mighty serve, breaking four times on nine chances.
There was little between the two women early on as both held serve with relative ease through the first six games. At 3-3, Parks was able to hit her way into a Fernandez service game and a big backhand set up the first break point of the match. The Canadian double-faulted to fall behind.
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With the way Parks was hitting the ball, it seemed like that one break would surely be enough. But serving for the set at 5-4, the American’s game fell apart. Two missed backhands and a double fault gave Fernandez a chance to break back and she took advantage, firing a forehand passing shot winner to get back on serve.
Parks’ inconsistency continued to cause her problems in the tiebreak as she double-faulted on her first service point and followed it up with a forehand into the net as Fernandez raced ahead 4-0. A double fault from the Canadian was the only point Fernandez lost in the breaker as she completed her opening-set comeback.
The Lavalloise carried the momentum into the second set, immediately going up love-40 in the opening game on Parks’ serve and converting the second break point to claim an early advantage. It was short-lived, however. In her first service game, Fernandez had to save three break points and then in her second, she fell behind love-40. She was only able to save one break point, sending a backhand long on the second to put the set back on serve.
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Fluctuations in level from Parks continued to be a problem for the American and Fernandez was happy to take advantage. At 3-3, a couple of brutal misses at the net from Parks, including a smash into the net down break point, allowed Fernandez to reclaim the break lead. This time, she did not let it slip away. As Parks served to stay in it at 3-5, the Canadian brought up a series of match points and finally on the fourth, the American sent a forehand long.
Fernandez will meet Ashlyn Krueger, who upset No. 7 seed Elena Rybakina on Thursday, in the third round. Krueger leads their head-to-head 2-1, having won the two most recent meetings including in the third round of Toronto last summer and earlier this year in the Abu Dhabi quarter-finals.
Gabriel Diallo will also be playing his opening match on Thursday. For the second Masters 1000 event in a row, the Montrealer got in as a lucky loser. He will face Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
