Canada's Fernandez extends U.S. Open charge with comeback victory over Kerber
After Osaka, Canadian downs another former champion, Auger-Aliassime also reaches final 8
Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez's stellar run at the U.S Open continues.
The 18-year-old from Laval, Que., advanced to the quarter-finals of the women's draw with a hard-fought 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2 win over 16th-seeded German Angelique Kerber. Fernandez took control of the match in the decisive third set by twice breaking Kerber, a former world No. 1, for a commanding 5-2 advantage.
The Canadian, who recorded five service breaks in nine chances, then held serve to clinch the victory.
WATCH l Leylah Annie Fernandez flies into U.S. Open quarter-finals:
Fernandez reached the fourth round with a stunning upset win over No. 3 seed and defending champion Naomi Osaka. She rallied to beat Osaka 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-4 on Friday to advance past the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time.
What's more the 23-year-old Osaka came in riding a 16-match Grand Slam win streak.
Kerber took a roller-coaster first set that saw both players struggle to hold serve. The German recorded three service breaks in the set while Fernandez registered two while also committing four double faults (to none for Kerber).
Fernandez had a chance for another break leading 6-5, but Kerber rallied to hold serve and force the tie-breaker. Fernandez still pushed the match to a deciding set after winning the tie-breaker 7-5.
Fernandez took a 3-2 lead in the third with her fourth service break of the match. Then after holding her serve for a 4-2 advantage, Fernandez recorded another break to go ahead 5-2.
Fernandez finished the match with three aces (Kerber had none) but also six double faults.
'Happy-go-lucky girl'
Ask self-described "happy-go-lucky girl" Fernandez for the secret to her success, and she repeatedly mentions two factors. One is being sure to enjoy her time on court. The other is support of family, because her father, who is from Ecuador, her mother, who is Filipino Canadian, and her sisters "have definitely kept the joy for me."
A day before of her 19th birthday, she credits Dad — who coaches her and has been offering instructions in daily phone calls while back home, taking care of a younger sibling — and Mom — who is leading the cheers with other family members and Fernandez's fitness trainer in courtside seats — with teaching a valuable lesson that has nothing to do with tennis.
They made sure to emphasize, Fernandez said, that "you can't take things too seriously, you've got to be mature but at the same time just be a kid, let loose, have fun, eat chocolate when you want to, and just have fun, watch movies, go past your bedtime."
WATCH | Leylah Fernandez takes U.S. Open by storm:
Meanwhile, in women's doubles action, Ottawa's Gabriela Dabrowski and Brazil's Luisa Stefani outlasted American Shelby Rogers and Croatia's Petra Martic 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3).
Next up, the duo will play Dayana Yastremska and Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine in the round of 16 on Monday.
Auger-Aliassime reaches final 8
In men's action, Felix Auger-Aliassime reached the quarter-finals for the first time by getting past Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6), 6-4 with the help of 24 aces.
Auger-Aliassime had never reached the final eight at any Grand Slam tournament until Wimbledon in July, a month before he turned 21 on Aug. 8.
Now the Canadian is the youngest man to reach consecutive major quarter-finals since Juan Martin del Potro made it to three straight in 2008-09.
Auger-Aliassime will go up against unseeded 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz of Spain on Tuesday for a semifinal berth.
The 50th-ranked Tiafoe, a 23-year-old from the U.S., lost in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for the second year in a row.
His best showing at a major was a quarterfinal appearance at the 2019 Australian Open.
WATCH l Auger-Aliassime advances to 2nd straight Grand Slam quarter-final:
Medvedev tops Evans in straight sets
No. 2 seed Daniil Medvedev cruised into the U.S. Open quarter-finals with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 win over No. 24 Daniel Evans.
Medvedev has yet to drop a set on his way to the quarter-finals for the third straight year. He next plays gualifier Botic van de Zandschulp, the third unseeded player he'll face at Flushing Meadows.
Van de Zandschulp pulled off a 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 5-7, 6-1 win over No. 11 Diego Schwartzman. He joined Nicolas Escude and Gilles Muller as just the third men's qualifier ever to reach the quarter-finals.
Sabalenka, Svitolina reach quarter-finals
No. 5 seed Elina Svitolina beat two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the quarter-finals.
Svitolina has never won a Grand Slam tournament. She had lost twice before to the 12th-seeded Halep in majors.
Third-seeded Naomi Osaka and No. 1 Ash Barty, who was upset Saturday night by Shelby Rogers, are both out of the women's draw.
Later on Sunday, No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus defeated Elise Mertens of Belgium 6-4, 6-1 to also reach the quarter-finals.
Qualifer van de Zandschulp to quarters
U.S. Open qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp has reached the quarter-finals with a 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 5-7, 6-1 win over No. 11 Diego Schwartzman at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Van de Zandschulp was part of a trio of U.S. Open qualifiers to reach the fourth round for the first time since the tournament began keeping qualifying records in 1982. It was also the first time at any Grand Slam tournament that three male qualifiers reached Week 2 since the 1995 French Open.
The 25-year-old Dutch qualifier knocked out No. 8 seed Casper Ruud in the second round.
With files from The Associated Press
