Canada’s Leylah Fernandez rolled to a 6-1, 6-4 victory over fifth-seeded Russian Mirra Andreeva at the National Bank Open on Friday for her first win over a top-10 opponent this season.
Fernandez, the No. 30 seed, was in control for most of the third-round match on a muggy, overcast afternoon at Sobeys Stadium.
Down 2-5 in the second set, Andreeva picked up her first break to put some pressure on, but Fernandez later served it out for the win in 80 minutes.
Andreeva struggled with unforced errors and could not establish a rhythm against the crowd favourite from Laval, Que., who improved to 15-20 on the season.
Fernandez was the last Canadian remaining at the WTA 1000 hardcourt tournament.
Fernandez, who improved to 1-4 against top-10 players, will face either Belgium’s Elise Mertens or Japan’s Naomi Osaka in the fourth round.
Five Canadian wild-card singles entries fell in the first round and two others — Toronto’s Katherine Sebov and Kayla Cross of London, Ont. — lost in the second.
In first-round doubles play Friday, Cross and Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont., dropped a 6-4, 7-6 (3) decision to American Quinn Gleason and Norway’s Ulrikke Eikeri.
Andreescu and Cross were the last Canadians in the doubles draw.
Fernandez and sister Bianca Fernandez lost their opener on Thursday, and Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski dropped her first match with Russian partner Ekaterina Alexandrova.
The late match was set to feature rising Filipino star Alexandra Eala, the No. 25 seed, and American Caty McNally.
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