US Open 2021 – Quarter-final – Leylah Fernandez continues her crazy adventure by beating Elina Svitolina

What a fight! After a very intense match in emotions, Leylah Fernandez managed to tame Elina Svitolina, seed number 5 in this US Open (6-3, 3-6, 7-6) in 2:24. For the semi-finalist of the last edition at Flushing Meadows, this defeat will remain as a bitter disappointment given her status as favorite.

But in reality, Svitolina did not fall against a novice: Fernandez, 19, had already defeated former world number one Naomi Osaka and Germany’s Angelique Kerber in this Grand Slam tournament. Are we witnessing the emergence of the new nugget of world tennis?

Very productive from the start of the meeting, Fernandez did not tremble to enter his quarter-final. Solid and determined, this small jig (1m68) took his destiny in hand by breaking Svitolina at 4-2 to never let go of his throw-in (6-3). More toned and more precise, Fernandez then realized that she was facing a warrior. Quickly ahead in the second set and ready to conclude the set at 5-1, Svitolina was scared at 5-3 by saving three break points to finally tear off the second set and plunge the Arthur-Ashe into madness ( 3-6).

The third round will be a long mental and physical battle for Leylah Fernandez, who had almost double the time spent on the courts compared to her opponent of the day. But courage, the hope of women’s tennis led 5-2, before seeing its lead melt in front of the determination of Svitolina, returned 5-5 and ready to do battle in a breathtaking tie-break. The turning point came at 5-5 in the tie-break, when Svitolina left too much room for her opponent to afford a match point on her serve. A few seconds later, Fernandez could let his joy burst under the cheers of a conquered crowd (7-5).

“Svitolina is a great fighter, she deserved to be in the quarterfinals and I am honored to have faced her. This match was so hard… During the game, I told myself that whatever happened, I was giving my maximum to qualify and I would not have had any regrets because I did my best. today. “After Osaka and Kerber, respectively former winners of the US Open in 2020 and 2016, here is Svitolina fallen under the ceaseless activity of Fernandez. But how far will she go?