Hong Kong Open: Defending champion Leylah Fernandez keeps title defence alive

Leylah Fernandez is into the Quarter-Finals of the 2024 Hong Kong Open and will face off against Bernarda Pera as she continues to feel the love in Victoria Park.

The 22-year-old is back 12 months on from lifting the title in 2023 and on Thursday, she took down Kimberly Birrell to reach the latter stages. She has achieved great local support after her exploits last year which saw her return to the winners' circle and give her immeasurable confidence.

She sits in a similar position this year in that she needs that boost again with wins fairly hard to come by and defending her title will help to curb a ranking drop and also give her that boost ahead of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.

After winning in Hong Kong last year, she anchored home hopes to victory and it did wonders for her career. But she could encounter a different prospect in Hong Kong with Sofia Kenin, Katie Boulter and Diana Shnaider all on form. Seeing off Birrell today, she has had it fairly comfortable.

But she could have to weather a real storm to reach the final weekend. Even if Shnaider loses to Suzan Lamens, it is to a player in form who won a title weeks ago. But Shnaider is a player firmly on the rise and will be favourite to face her in the semi-finals. In the other half is Simona Halep conqueror, Yue Yuan facing Sofia Kenin. She saw off Nao Hibino, while the American fresh from a final last week losing to Qinwen Zheng could face Katie Boulter again. She defeated Jessika Ponchet.

While Boulter is the standout in the bottom half with Anastasia Zakharova a simple assignment on paper on Friday morning. Amid it being the last week of the regular season for many, Fernandez, Boulter, Kenin and Shnaider could yet provide a real weekend to watch to complete proceedings.