Leylah Fernandez is into the final of the Abierto GNP Seguros after beating Sara Sorribes Tormo 7-5, 7-5.
The Canadian hit 35 winners in the win while her rival produced 26 unforced errors. It it the second time in her career that Fernandez has reached the final of a WTA event after also doing so last year in Mexico.
” I feel great I was happy with my win today, it was a very hard match, Sara is a very tough opponent, she’s coming with consecutive match wins, today I just fought, tried to be more offensive than her and it worked my way and I’m happy with the win”,” the world No.88 said following the match.
Fernandez didn’t get off to the best start as in the opening service game and it was clear she had early nerves going on. She would double fault to give her Spanish opponent two breakpoints but managed to save both and held serve. At 2-1 the Montreal native had two breakpoints of her very own but failed to convert and the number seven seed held serve.
The very next game Sorribes Tomo had more breakpoints and would earn the first break of the match with a forehand winner to take a 3-2 lead. The lead didn’t last long as the Canadian responded right away attacking the net and earned two chances to break back.
She would break back to put the set back on serve but in the very next game she would serve another double fault and would be broken once again. The next game again the Canadian was determined to stay in it and broke back once again as both players at this stage were struggling to hold serve.
Following that she would face more breakpoints the very next game but the Canadian would do a better job saving them and holding serve. At 6-5 Fernandez would set up a set point with a great volley win and would seal the set with another great point and a finish at the net.
The second set was as much a roller-coaster as the first when at 2-2 the Spaniard would earn three more breakpoints and break to take a 3-2 lead before the Montreal native would break back the following game to go back on serve at 3-3.
The very next game Fernandez’s issues with her serve resurfaced and she would double fault on breakpoint to give the break back before breaking back one more time to make it 4-4.
At that juncture the Spaniard who was looking to force a decider had three breakpoints but this time the Canadian would save all three and hold serve. At 6-5 Fernandez went for the win and earned two match points on her opponents serve and would take the match with another one of her winners at the net.
” I’m very happy with the win, I was fighting through tough points, she played incredible, she’s a tough player to play against, she won last week in Guadalajara so obviously she came in with a lot of confidence and I just tried to do my best in the moment and I’m happy with the win today.”
Fernandez also touched on the fact that her second final will once again be contested in Mexico and what it means to her.
” It means a lot, I haven’t had the best start to the year but I’m happy that my game is falling into place here this week and hopefully it will get better here on out throughout the year.”
She will next face Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland who earlier beat Ann Li the number eight seed in straight sets 6-2,6-4 in her semi-final match.
