Monday Digest: Fernandez Stays a Twin Menace

October tends to be a month the place the Canadians play good tennis and Leylah Annie Fernandez was only one instance final week. 

She delivered a robust efficiency on the WTA 1000 occasion in Wuhan which complimented a sequence of Canadian victories on the ITF circuit on dwelling soil. 

Right here’s what that you must know. 

In Case You Missed It: Fernandez Impresses in Wuhan 

Final week was the final WTA 1000 occasion of the 2024 and Leylah Annie Fernandez gave another stable efficiency on a giant stage, reaching the third spherical of the singles and the semifinals of the doubles on the Wuhan Open. 

The highway was not simple for the Canadian in both draw. Within the doubles, she and Aldila Sutjiadi needed to undergo two of the highest 5 seeded groups to succeed in the semifinals however impressed in each, dropping a mixed 9 video games in 4 units in opposition to fifth seeds Elise Mertens and Shuai Zhang and second seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez. 

Their run was halted within the closing 4 by the eventual runners-up Asia Muhammad and Jessica Pegula. 

Fernandez was additionally bested by the eventual runner-up within the singles. After an upset win over No. 12 seed Diana Shnaider and a gritty victory over Kamilla Rakhimova, the Canadian was crushed by world No. 7 Qinwen Zheng in three units.   

It was Fernandez’s third WTA 1000 doubles semifinal of the yr and third look within the spherical of 16 in singles at that stage. 

Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe had been the highest seeds within the Wuhan doubles however misplaced within the quarter-finals to the eventual champions Anna Danilina and Irina Khromacheva. 

What to Watch: Auger-Aliassime Returns to his Favorite Floor 

If there’s one participant who will seemingly be joyful to step out on the indoor laborious courts of Europe, will probably be Félix Auger-Aliassime. 

During the last two years, the Canadian has been among the best gamers on the earth indoors and has been notably sturdy in October, the place he received three titles in 2022 and one other in 2023. 

He’ll kick off the indoor swing this week on the ATP 250 occasion in Antwerp, one of many locations he was victorious two years in the past. Auger-Aliassime is the third seed and can face Marton Fucsovics in his opening match. No. 6 seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry is his projected quarter-final opponent and the Montrealer is within the prime half of the draw with prime seed Alex de Minaur. 

Learn additionally: Revisiting Rafael Nadal’s 5 Titles on the Nationwide Financial institution Open

Gabriel Diallo can also be in motion and already kicked off his marketing campaign on the 250 occasion in Almaty, Kazakhstan with a win over Christopher O’Connell. He faces Borna Coric in spherical two and will meet No. 2 seed Alejandro Tabilo within the quarter-finals. 

Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe are the highest seeds in Osaka and have gotten off to a successful begin, claiming their opening match over Peangtarn Plipuech and Chia Yi Tsao in straight units. They are going to meet the native pair of Shuko Aoyama and Eri Hozumi within the quarter-finals. 

Bianca Andreescu was competing in singles in Osaka, her first occasion because the US Open, however she misplaced her first-round match to Greet Minnen in straight units. 

Beneath the Radar: Robust Begin to House Swing 

The autumn ITF swing by Canada acquired off to a dream begin final week in Edmonton with Canadians successful three of the 4 titles on the joint ITF W35/M25 occasion. 

Liam Draxl was the double-champion, successful the singles and doubles with fellow Canadian Cleeve Harper. Kayla Cross joined them within the winners circle with a victory within the ladies’s doubles. 

Learn the complete Edmonton recap right here.

Skilled motion continues in Canada this week in Calgary. The occasion is an ATP Challenger for the boys and a W75 for the ladies. 

Learn the complete Calgary preview right here.

Thomas Venos was additionally a winner on dwelling soil final week, claiming the Certain Grip Worldwide Wheelchair Tennis Open in Fredericton, NB. 

Venos was the highest seed and didn’t drop a set en path to the title, beating Jason Keatseangslip 6-3, 6-3 within the closing. He and fellow Canadian Barry Henderson additionally received the doubles round-robin occasion, successful each of their matches.  

“One other good match for me at present. It was a really comparable match to yesterday’s the place I knew if I might hit my photographs I might win,” stated Venos after the singles closing. “Like yesterday’s match, I as soon as once more had a slower begin and a dip midway by the second set. However I weathered the storm and rapidly bounced again. I’m enjoying nicely and can look to enhance on this manner going into nationals”   

Nationals will get underway this week in Bedford, NS because the nation’s greatest wheelchair tennis gamers arrive on the Sobeys Atlantic Tennis Centre for the Birmingham Nationwide Wheelchair Tennis Championships. 

You possibly can comply with the Canadians in motion each week right here.