Spotlight on: Leylah Fernandez © ANSA / JUSTIN LANE
In the 6: 3, 3: 6, 7: 6 (7: 5) against number five seeded Elina Svitolina from Ukraine, Leylah Fernandez, who has only been 19 since Monday, showed spectacular power again on Tuesday (local time) in New York -Tennis and followed the three-set win against Angelique Kerber in the previous round with the next surprise.
08. September 2021
From: dpa
After her next tennis coup at the US Open, Fernandez fell to her knees. In disbelief, she covered her face to the cheers of the spectators at Arthur Ashe Stadium and was simply overwhelmed by the fact that she was suddenly in the semifinals of the US Open.
Inspired by the strong performance of his compatriot, a few hours later Felix Auger-Aliassime also made it into the semi-finals for the first time in one of the four Grand Slam tournaments, finally sending Canadian tennis fans into ecstasy. The 21-year-old benefited from the injury-related retirement of his Spanish opponent Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals. The 18-year-old had to pass the score of 3: 6, 1: 3 from his point of view due to groin complaints.
Overwhelming
“I never thought a day like this would come,” said Auger-Aliassime, the first Canadian man to reach a semifinal in New York. “A little girl and a little boy, both from Montréal, both at the same time in the semifinals of the US Open – unbelievable,” said the Canadian, who is now dealing with number two seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev. Medvedev won against the Dutch qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp 6:3, 6:0, 4:6, 7:5.
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Is in the semifinals: Felix Auger-Aliassime © APA/getty / Sarah Stier
But the focus was on Fernandez, only really known to insiders before the US Open. But after her victories against Naomi Osaka, Kerber and now Svitolina, the left-hander is suddenly the new star in the women’s tableau. “I just tried to keep believing in myself,” said the Canadian, the youngest semifinalist at the US Open since Russia’s Maria Sharapova 16 years ago.
Sabalenka further
In the fight for the final, Fernandez is now up against fellow favorite Aryna Sabalenka. The 23-year-old from Belarus clearly defeated French Open winner Barbora Krejcikova from the Czech Republic 6: 1, 6: 4. Even then, Fernandez wants to go back to the pitch unconcerned. Two years ago, a Canadian won in New York in Bianca Andreescu. But what is the Canadians’ secret of success? Fernandez responded to this question just as quickly as he did to Svitolina’s balls on the pitch. “I’d say it’s the maple syrup.”
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