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Canada’s Leylah Fernandez beats Poland’s Magda Linette in French Open first round

May 28, 2023 | 10:20 AM

PARIS — Canada’s Leylah Fernandez advanced to the second round of the French Open on Sunday, beating Magda Linette of Poland 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, in a first-round match.

Fernandez hit two aces to Linette’s five and double-faulted nine times compared to six by her opponent, but won 69 per cent of her second-serve points en route to victory.

The 20-year-old Fernandez from Laval, Que., entered the tournament ranked 49th in the WTA rankings, while Linette was ranked 21st.

Fernandez made the French Open quarterfinals last year but lost to Italy’s Martina Trevisan. It was her best result at Roland Garros so far in her career.

Canadians are back in action on Monday as Vancouver’s Rebecca Marino, Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime all play first-round matchups.

Bianca Andreescu, of Toronto, is set to open her tournament on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2023.

The Canadian Press

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