US Open 2021: Leylah Fernandez beats Aryna Sabalenka, enters finals

New Delhi: Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez defeated second-seeded Belarusian player Aryna Sabalenka 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-4 in her first Women’s Singles semi-finals of the US Open 2021 tournament at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York on Friday.

The opening set had Fernandez dropping the first three serves before picking up pace and dominating the tie break 7-6 (3).

However, an aggressive Sabalenka returned with a whopping 2-0 within eight minutes of the second set and broke Fernandez by 4-6.

Sabalenka gained momentum but the left-handed Fernandez’s swift footwork and backhand made her win the final set 6-4 and the semi-finals.

This match marked the teenager’s fourth consecutive victory after defeating Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber, and Elina Svitolina in the US Open, respectively.

Leylah Fernandez became the second Canadian teenager to march into the finals after 2019. The 73rd ranked will face 18-year-old British player Emma Raducanu in the Women’s Singles US Open finals 2021.

(Avya Mathur)