Leylah Fernandez, a formidable tennis player and former U.S. Open finalist, has demonstrated her prowess on the grass courts of Eastbourne, dispatching Harriet Dart with a convincing 6-2, 6-1 victory.
As the prestigious Wimbledon tournament looms, Fernandez is honing her skills and finding her comfort zone on the grass, crediting her focus on footwork and leg strength as the key to her success.
“I may not possess the physical attributes of my opponents,” Fernandez humbly acknowledged, “but I have learned to rely on my agility and leg strength to control the trajectory of my shots.” This strategic approach has served her well, propelling her to the semifinals of the Eastbourne International.
Fernandez will next face the formidable defending champion, Madison Keys, who advanced to the semifinals via a walkover after Karolina Muchova’s unfortunate withdrawal due to a wrist injury.
In the other semifinal match, the talented Jasmine Paolini, fresh from her impressive showing in the French Open final, will square off against the seasoned Daria Kasatkina.
Kasatkina, last year’s runner-up, astutely observed that the challenging weather conditions have made it essential to prioritize consistency over finesse.
“The windy conditions make it difficult to execute precise shots, so my focus is on keeping the ball in play,” she explained. Despite the challenges, Kasatkina remains confident in her abilities, anticipating a thrilling contest against Paolini.
In the men’s quarterfinals, local wild card Billy Harris staged a remarkable comeback, outlasting Flavio Cobolli in a thrilling match. Australian qualifier Max Purcell also advanced, defeating Miomir Kecmanovic in straight sets.
Meanwhile, Aleksandar Vukic, another qualifier, demonstrated his tenacity by outlasting Yoshihito Nishioka in a grueling match, setting up a showdown with top-seeded Taylor Fritz, who eliminated Chinese qualifier Shang Juncheng.