By Canadian Press

Fernandez rallies to beat Bucsa, advances to third round at Australian Open

Jan 15, 2025 | 12:15 AM

MELBOURNE — Canadian Leylah Fernandez overcame a first set loss and another rain delay to advance to the third round of women’s singles at the Australian Open on Tuesday night.

The 30th-seeded Fernandez lost 6-3 to Moldovan-born Cristina Bucsa of Spain in the opening set, then bounced back with 6-4, 6-4 wins in the two-hour, 25-minute match.

The victory marks the first time that the Laval, Que., athlete has made it to the third round of the Grand Slam event at Melbourne Park.

Fernandez won her opening-round match with a rain-delayed 7-5, 6-4 decision over Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva.

Fernandez, who had two aces in Tuesday’s match, had a slow start against Bucsa and finished with more double faults (7-4) and unforced errors (40-25), appeared to gain momentum after battling to win the second set.

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She finished with more winners (30-13) and saved seven of 10 break points, compared to her opponent’s six of nine.

Fernandez advances to play the winner of the match between third-seeded American Coco Gauff and British star Jodie Burrage.

In women’s doubles on Tuesday, the second-seeded Gabriela Dabrowski of Ottawa and partner Erin Routliffe of New Zealand dropped their opening set 6-4 to Americans Danielle Collins and Desirae Krawczyk, but bounced back with 6-4, 6-3 victories to advance.

The Americans had more aces (5-4) and less double faults (2-0), but Dabrowski and Routliffe held the advantage in wins off the first serve, unforced errors (10-9) and receiving points (38-30) in the two-hour, 10-minute round of 64 match.

Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal was scheduled to play Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain in a second-round men’s singles match later in the day.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 15, 2025.

The Canadian Press