After forcing a deciding set in dramatic fashion, Canadian Leylah Annie Fernandez stunned Naomi Osaka, defeating one of the world’s top-ranked players to reach the fourth round of the US Open.
Fernandez dropped a tightly contested first set to Oskaka, 7-5, but refused to quit.
In the second set, as Osaka served for the match, Fernandez broke and won in a tiebreak, coming back from being down 6-5 to take the set 5-7, 7-6(2).
With the match on the line, Fernandez started strong, breaking Osaka to start the decisive set. She continued to capitalize on unforced errors by Osaka, extending the lead to 5-3 and forcing the No. 3-ranked player in the world to serve to stay in the match.
A series of dramatic back-and-forth exchanges followed, with Osaka refusing to quit, narrowing Fernandez’s lead to 5-4.
It was the 18-year-old from Laval, Que. who delivered when it mattered most, though, closing the match out to win 5-7, 7-6, 6-4.
