Washington (AFP) – Canada’s Leylah Fernandez produced a dominant performance to defeat Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya in straight sets and win the WTA Tour’s DC Open in Washington on Sunday. The 22-year-old bagged the first WTA 500 victory of her career and her first title since 2023 to win 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour. The win completed a fairytale week for Fernandez, the 2021 US Open finalist who had beaten top seed Jessica Pegula and former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina on her way to the fourth title of her career.
Fernandez said she had grown in belief throughout her campaign. “In the beginning of the tournament (there) was still a lot of doubt, but as the tournament progressed, I was starting to play better,” Fernandez said. “I have gone through so many different challenges this week. I think it has just made me stronger in a way, that if I can get through this week — through the cramps, through the long matches, through the heat and humidity — I can get through anything.”
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Fernandez got off to a blistering start, dominating Kalinskaya’s serve to take the opening set in just 30 minutes. After three holds left Fernandez 2-1 up, the breakthrough came in the fourth game with Kalinskaya’s serve looking increasingly vulnerable. The Russian was soon in trouble at 15-40 down, and then double-faulted to hand Fernandez the break and a 3-1 lead. Fernandez was having no such difficulty on serve and held comfortably for a 4-1 lead before going on to attack Kalinskaya’s serve in the sixth game. The Canadian held two break points at 15-40 and duly converted the second for a 5-1 lead, lasering a backhand return to leave Kalinskaya rooted to the spot. A delicate drop shot at the net gave Fernandez the set in the next game.
The second set mirrored the first, with Fernandez grabbing an early break to seize the initiative at 2-1 before breaking again soon afterwards for a 4-1 lead. The next two games went with serve but Fernandez made no mistake when serving for the match, converting the second of two match points.
Fernandez will head to Canada for this week’s WTA 1000 Canadian Open in Montreal, where she is anticipating a tougher test. “Montreal is a whole different monster,” she said. “It’s a bigger draw, longer tournament. It’s going to be start from zero.”
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