Leylah Fernandez posts upset win over Russia's Mirra Andreeva in National Bank Open 3rd round
Canadian tennis player Leylah Fernandez defeated fifth-seeded Mirra Andreeva in the third round of the National Bank Open. This victory marks Fernandez's first win against a top-10 opponent this season as she advances to the Round of 16.
Why it matters
As the last remaining Canadian in the tournament, Fernandez's performance is a significant narrative for local fans and the WTA 1000-level event.
The timing could not be better for National Bank Open organizers nearly left without a domestic storyline at the tournament's midway point.
Fernandez booked a spot in the Round of 16 at the WTA Tour event Friday with a 6-1, 6-4 upset win over fifth-seeded Russian Mirra Andreeva.
“I've put in the work," Fernandez said from Toronto. "I know physically I am strong. I know I can endure long rallies and long matches. So, if it's going to take 100 balls to hit, to put it in, to break her down, then so be it."
The third-round victory was her first win over a top-10 opponent this season. She has split four career meetings with Andreeva, who has won three WTA titles this year.
Fernandez, who reached the U.S. Open final in 2021, is the lone Canadian left in the field, singles or doubles, at the WTA 1000-level hard-court tournament.
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