Canada’s Leylah Fernandez got here from a set all the way down to defeat Katerina Siniakova 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 to win the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open. The victory is the 21-year-old’s first Hologic WTA Tour title of the 2023 season and third of her profession.
A US Open finalist two years in the past, Fernandez entered the event ranked No.60 and she’s going to depart Hong Kong with a return to the Prime 50. With wins over Victoria Azarenka, Mirra Andreeva, Linda Fruhvirtova, Anna Blinkova and Siniakova, Fernandez captured her first title since profitable 2022 Monterrey.
“We had a really, very exhausting previous couple of years,” Fernandez stated. “My household, my dad and mom, my coach, and my efficiency coach stayed by my facet,” Fernandez stated. “They motivated me to maintain going and the exhausting work is paying off. Hopefully, we will hold going this fashion.”
How the match was gained: Siniakova jumped on Fernandez’s error-strewn begin to earn two breaks within the opening set to take the early benefit. The Czech was bidding for her second title of the season, having gained in Dangerous Homburg, and first win over Fernandez.
Fernandez responded to the lack of the opening set by constructing a 4-0 lead within the second. Siniakova took an off-court medical timeout and returned along with her left higher leg taped. When play resumed, Siniakova slowly started to chip away at Fernandez’s lead.
Turning level: With Fernandez serving with a break benefit at 4-3, the Canadian got here via the longest and most dramatic recreation of the match to carry. Fernandez saved six break factors in a see-saw battle, that noticed the Czech save 4 recreation factors to increase the 10-deuce recreation. Having survived the duel, Fernandez served out the set two video games later.
“I knew it was an important recreation,” Fernandez stated. “Katerina was taking part in an unbelievable match, hitting winners from the backhand, forehand, left, proper, and heart. It was a troublesome recreation for me, particularly emotionally, to regulate myself. At one level I simply needed to deal with the ball.”
At deuce within the first recreation of the ultimate set, Siniakova was wrong-footed on the web by a Fernandez passing shot and crumbled to the bottom in ache. The coach got here on courtroom instantly and after a couple of minutes, Siniakova was capable of stroll to her chair on her personal accord.
Play resumed after a medical timeout to tape Siniakova’s left leg. Siniakova saved break level to increase the sport, however Fernandez stayed regular to interrupt on her fourth break level of the sport.
However with Fernandez struggling to seek out consistency in her first serve, Siniakova broke again to 3-3 with a clear return winner to place the consequence again within the stability. After one other alternate of breaks, Siniakova stepped as much as serve at 4-4 however Fernandez saved recreation level and sealed the ultimate break of the match.
This time, Fernandez closed the door, holding serve to seal the win after 2 hours and 49 minutes.
In doubles, the unseeded duo of Tang Qianhui and Tsao Chia Yi surprised No.3 seeds Oksana Kalashnikova and Aliaksandra Sasnovich within the remaining, profitable 7-5, 1-6 [11-9]. The title is Tang’s third of her profession and first for Tsao.
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Information Abstract:
- Fernandez beats Siniakova to win Hong Kong, first title of season
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