FOLLOW
Linda Fruhvirtova was no match for Leylah Fernandez in their quarter-final clash at the Hong Kong Open on Friday. The Canadian posted a strong 7-6(2), 6-2 victory over the Czech in an hour and 42 minutes. Only five years separate Fruhvirtova and Fernandez but the latter made use of every bit of experience she had as a result of her age-related head start to play past the 18-year-old.
The initial part of the first set saw Fernandez hand back an early break of serve to Fruhvirtova. However, in the tie-break, there was no stopping the former US Open runner-up. In the second set, Fruhvirtova couldn’t keep up with her opponent.
As in the first set, Fernandez gained an early break of serve and this time, she didn’t give it back. In the deciding moments of the set, in the eighth game, while serving to force Fernandez to serve for the match, Fruhvirtova faced two match points at 15-40.
She saved the first but on the second, there wasn’t much she could do and Fernandez moved along in the draw.
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