Canada’s Leylah Annie Fernandez eliminated in 1st round of Australian Open
Posted January 18, 2022 12:00 am.
Canada’s Leylah Annie Fernandez made an early exit from the Australian Open after losing in straight sets to Maddison Inglis 6-4, 6-2 in the first round.
Fernandez had 30 unforced errors and only eight winners and was broken three times. She saved two match points before Ingis, who is ranked 133rd, served out 6-4, 6-2 on 1573 Arena.
Simply not Leylah's day.
Wild card Maddison Inglis stuns 2021 US Open finalist ????????Leylah Annie Fernandez 6-4, 6-2 to advance to the second round of the #AusOpen.
It's the first main draw win of her career.
Leylah simply never found her range, and struggled on serve all match.
— Ben Lewis (@BenLewisMPC) January 18, 2022
Wow.
Madison Inglis upsets US Open runner up Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-2 to reach the 2nd round at the #AusOpen.
It's been a tough event for the teens (Gauff also out). Let's see what Raducanu can do later… pic.twitter.com/c6pG5Ln6VI
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 18, 2022
For Inglis, it was her first win in a Grand Slam main draw. She lost in the first round at last year’s Australian Open to then-defending champion Sofia Kenin.
It was the third straight year that Fernandez, a 19-year-old Canadian who was runner-up to Emma Raducanu at last year’s U.S Open, has lost in the first round at Melbourne Park.
She earned her first career WTA Tour title in 2021 and surged up the world rankings to crack the top 25. Fernandez capped her year by winning the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as The Canadian Press female athlete of the year.
