MATCH REPORT | 2024 US Open: Former finalist Leylah Fernandez dumped out in opening round by Anastasia Potapova

It won't be another golden run at the 2024 US Open for Leylah Fernandez with the former finalist being dumped out 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 in favour of Anastasia Potapova at Flushing Meadows.

On a night of Canadian representation with Bianca Andreescu starting her campaign against Jasmine Paolini, it could be lights out for the Canadians with Fernandez now out. This is despite being in good form recently.

But as ever with Fernandez, it is either top form or flattering to deceive and it was the latter this evening as she lost out to the Russian ace who has shown a good game in the past but hasn't been consistent enough to be the favourite going into the contest.

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It was a match that she would've felt she could've won quite easily as well with Fernandez up a set and a break before falling away under the pressure exerted by Potapova. Sealing the opener pretty comfortably after breaking back to go 4-2 up, she easily served it out and then broke again for 6-2.

But at the crunch moment, it fell apart. She went 3-1 up. Only for Potapova to make it 3-3 and edged away into a 4-3 lead. She was broken at 5-4 and then Potapova pulled away to the second set.

Fernandez didn't lose heart but like the match as a whole, it was the crunch moments that defined it as Potapova sealed the final set 7-5 claiming a break and holding serve for the win in a set barely with a break chance from either side and building towards a crescendo that the Russian met.

Albeit Fernandez has had more success than the second half of the US Open final three years ago, it seems to be very much not fulfilling the undoubted potential that is there. From a talent rank, Fernandez shows she is up there but consistency perhaps is the issue as evidenced again here.

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Leylah Annie Fernandez 🇨🇦 has been eliminated in the first-round of the #USOpen.

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