Leylah Fernandez is through to the third round of the Qatar Open after an epic comeback win as she came from 0-6 down after the first set to claim it in three sets in a tough assignment against Paula Badosa 0-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Badosa started the match like a shot. The Spaniard didn't mess around and to start the first set she broke Fernandez's serve in the first break opportunity she had as she set the tone for the rest of the first set, but not the match.
With three breaks in the three games on Leylah Fernandez's serve, Paula Badosa managed to endorse a very painful bagel for the Canadian. A 6-0 in which the Spaniard only had to survive in one game in the form of breakpoints to certify the earlier break, and later serving to win the set itself, where she turned around two more break opportunities for her rival.
In the second set, however, the duel would even out considerably. Leylah Fernandez got her first game of the match on his first serve, and later had two break points, but failed to materialize any. However, with 1-2 ahead on the scoreboard, she managed to get her first break of the match to take a 1-3 lead and seek to even the match in sets.
At 1-4, Fernandez would take another break that seemed definitive for the Canadian to take the set. But Badosa wanted to keep fighting and managed to cut back with a break to be 2-5 down looking to miraculously turn the set around to win the match and not have to go to the third set. However, the effort would be in vain, as Fernandez again broke the Spaniard's serve to take the set 2-6.
Everything was to be decided in the third set. With the tension sky high, both players were solid in their first serves. At 2-2, Paula Badosa had two break points, but Leylah Fernandez survived both of them. This did not affect the Spaniard, who tied it at 3-3.
Just as at 2-2, Badosa would have two break points, and he wasn't going to win either. So many missed opportunities could prove decisive in a set that was heading towards its end. Indeed, Paula Badosa was to lose her serve next, at the key moment of the match, with which Leylah Fernandez was 3-5 up. With a blank game, the Canadian eliminated the Spaniard in the second round of the WTA 1000.
Fernandez d. Paula Badosa 0-6 6-2 6-3 in Doha It’s not always easy to recover from losing a set 0-6. But Leylah recovered beautifully to pull off another impressive win. ✅4th win of 2024 Can’t ever question the competitive spirit of this young lady. 🇨🇦❤️
