Canada’s Fernandez defeats Kudermetova to advance to third round in Charleston
Canada’s Leylah Fernandez advanced to the third round of the Charleston Tennis Open on Wednesday with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Uzbekistan’s Polina Kudermetova.
Fernandez, the ninth seed in the WTA 500 hard-court event, saved four of nine break points while defending all three break points she faced to end the match in one hour and 15 minutes.
The 23-year-old from Laval, Que., hopes to continue running in South Carolina after a rough start to the season. She entered the tournament with a 3-8 record.
Fernandez will next face seventh-seeded Diana Schneider. The two men had drawn in their previous four encounters, but the 21-year-old Russian has won his last two matches.
Later Wednesday, Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont., will face 16th-seeded American Sofia Kenin.
Andreescu opened the World Cup with a 1-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory over Hungary’s Dalma Galfi. It was the former world No. 4’s first WTA Tour main draw victory this season.
