Canada’s Leylah Fernandez staged a thrilling comeback on Centre Court, defeating seventh seed Elise Mertens 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the first round of the Ningbo Open.
Belgian seed controls opening set
The opening set saw Mertens take firm control early on. Capitalizing on service struggles and unforced errors from the Canadian, the world No. 15 Belgian used her steady baseline play to claim the set 6-2.
Fernandez found herself under constant pressure early in the match, surrendering multiple break points.
Canadian fights back to even the match
Refusing to back down, Fernandez adjusted her strategy in the second set, playing far more aggressively and driving groundstrokes deep to dictate key rallies.
She broke Mertens’ serve to take the second set 6-3, forcing a decisive third set.
Thrilling finish on centre court
The final set turned into an intense baseline battle, with both competitors trading service breaks in a grueling affair that lasted over two and a half hours.
Mertens pushed hard to close out the match but Fernandez raised her energy in the closing games. Breaking Mertens at a crucial moment late in the decider, the Canadian successfully served out the match to seal a 7-5 victory.
The hard-fought win earns Fernandez a spot in the round of 16, extending her strong Asian swing and adding another notable victory against a top-ranked opponent to her season.
