Canadian tennis player Leylah Fernandez advanced to the second round of the Japan Open on Tuesday, defeating Japan’s Himeno Sakatsume in straight sets.
Fernandez, a 24-year-old from Laval, Quebec, secured the victory with a score of 6-4, 6-2 against the 114th-ranked Sakatsume. The match lasted just over 90 minutes. During the contest, Fernandez capitalized on three of her nine break-point opportunities as she navigated her opening-round matchup.
The world No. 23 is currently in the midst of a strong Asian swing on the tennis tour. Her recent performances include capturing the Singapore Open title last month, followed by a runner-up finish at the Ningbo Open last weekend.
Looking ahead in the tournament, Fernandez will face fifth-seeded Elise Mertens of Belgium in the second round. The two competitors recently played each other last week in the opening round of the Ningbo Open, where Fernandez earned a three-set victory.
Alongside her singles campaign, Fernandez was scheduled to compete in the doubles tournament paired with Spain’s Cristina Bucsa. However, official Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) draw records show that Fernandez withdrew from the doubles competition on Tuesday due to a left-arm issue.
As a result of the withdrawal, top seeds Gabriela Dabrowski of Ottawa and Luisa Stefani of Brazil advanced directly to the quarterfinals by walkover.
