Leylah Annie Fernandez was unable to recreate her magic from Doha the earlier week on the second of back-to-back WTA 1000s within the Center East, shedding to Jasmine Paolini in straight units within the second spherical of the Dubai Responsibility Free Tennis Championships.
The Canadian struggled to drag away regardless of hanging first in each units as a persistent Paolini saved clawing again, ultimately scoring her first win over Fernandez 6-3, 6-4.
Effectivity was missing from Fernandez through the round-two match, as she solely received 54 per cent of her first serve factors and transformed simply three of her 11 break level alternatives, whereas solely saving two of seven in opposition to her personal serve.
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Having received all six units of their earlier three conferences, Fernandez appeared to nonetheless have Paolini’s quantity as she received the primary eight factors on the Italian’s serve to interrupt twice. Nevertheless, she failed to carry serve in between these two breaks to maintain Paolini inside hanging distance.
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A scarcity of sharpness from the Canadian allowed her opponent to remain within the set and ultimately degree at 3-3. The Italian began to seek out her vary from the baseline and Fernandez was not doing sufficient to interrupt the rhythm. Paolini received 5 video games in a row, together with a crucial maintain from love-40 down in an epic seventh sport, to take the opening set.
Fernandez appeared to proper the ship as she raced out to a 3-0 lead within the second set, however as soon as once more Paolini was in a position to reel her again in. The Canadian was leaving too many balls in the course of the court docket, permitting her opponent to tee off and dictate the rallies.
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The consequence was one other massive comeback for the Italian, who after saving a break level that might have seen her go down 5-1, went on one other five-game run to attain her first victory over Fernandez.
Within the first spherical, the Canadian had defeated Bernarda Pera in straight units, breaking serve in 4 of the American’s 5 service video games on her method to victory. Fernandez has now received at the least one match in every of the final 4 WTA 1000 major attracts.
