Leylah Fernandez, 19, continues US Open fairy-tale run
Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez continued her US Open dream run by storming into her first Grand Slam semi-final with a battling 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5) win over Ukrainian fifth seed Elina Svitolina yesterday morning (Singapore time).
It was yet another upset win for Fernandez but hardly a shock considering she had already knocked out four-time Major champion Naomi Osaka in the third round and three-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber in the fourth.
If there was any lingering worry that the fearless Canadian would buckle under the mounting pressure, Fernandez removed it by prevailing in a nerve-jangling third set tie-break 7-5 to clinch a spot in the last four.
Rated one of the best players yet to win a Slam, Svitolina might have fancied her chances of returning to the US Open semi-finals against a 73rd-ranked teen.
But Fernandez, who celebrated her 19th birthday on Monday, has shown that she is no ordinary teenager after registering a string of upsets that have made her a darling at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
"I honestly have no idea what I'm feeling right now," she said, moments after the victory.
"I told myself to trust my shots. Even if I lose, I've got to go for it. And I'm glad I did."
Fernandez was inspired by the pre-match strategy from her father/coach Jorge, a former Ecuadoran football player.
"My dad told me so many things, but today he told me to go out and have fun, fight for every point," she said.
"It's your first Grand Slam quarter-final. Don't make it your last. Don't make it your last match over here."
Standing in Fernandez's way of a place in the final is world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, who bulldozed her way past Barbora Krejcikova 6-1, 6-4. The Belarusian will also be playing in her first US Open semi-final.
Fernandez was joined in the last four by compatriot Felix Auger-Aliassime, who advanced to the men's semi-finals after Spanish teen Carlos Alcaraz retired due to a thigh injury while trailing 6-1, 3-1.
Auger-Aliassime, 21, will next face Russian Daniil Medvedev, who eliminated 117th-ranked Dutch qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3, 6-0, 4-6, 7-5.
When asked what they were feeding them up north to make the Canadians perform so well at the US Open, Fernandez replied: "I would say it's the maple syrup." - AFP, REUTERS
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