Leylah Annie Fernandez couldn’t clear up Ashlyn Krueger for the second assembly in a row, falling to the American within the quarter-finals of the WTA 500 occasion in Abu Dhabi on Thursday in three units. Krueger additionally knocked the Canadian out of the Nationwide Financial institution Open in Toronto final summer time.
Incapability to take care of leads value Fernandez within the quarter-final conflict, as she twice led by a break in each the units she misplaced, solely to be damaged again instantly. Regardless of letting her personal lead slip away within the second set, Krueger was capable of finding her vary within the third set to assert a 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 win.
Massive hitting from Krueger was in a position to break down the Canadian, as she struck 35 winners to Fernandez’s 29, though the American additionally had extra errors, 33 to 25. Each girls had a tough time holding serve, going through double-digit break factors. The Canadian was damaged eight occasions within the match, whereas solely managing to transform six of her possibilities.
Fernandez was on the entrance foot for a lot of the primary set earlier than it slipped away. She had an opportunity to interrupt within the opening sport of the match after which twice broke for the lead, however every time Kruger was in a position to reply and break again instantly.
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The American then made her transfer late, scoring her third break of the set as Fernandez served to remain in it at 5-6, stealing the opener.
Krueger carried that momentum into the second set, breaking within the Canadian’s first service sport of the second set as she raced out to a 3-0 lead.
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Together with her again towards the wall, Fernandez upped her sport. Enjoying crisp, clear tennis, the Canadian received the subsequent 5 video games in a row, breaking twice as she turned the 0-3 deficit right into a 5-3 lead. It was not totally easy crusing as Fernandez fell behind love-40 when she regarded to consolidate the second break, however not like the primary set, she managed to keep away from being damaged again instantly, pulling out a formidable maintain to take care of her lead.
It was Fernandez’s flip to hold the momentum into the subsequent set as Krueger performed a sloppy sport to open the decider, double-faulting to go down love-40 after which firing a shot lengthy handy the Canadian an early break. Nonetheless, the third set adopted the same development as the primary, with Fernandez failing to consolidate her breaks.
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The Lavalloise broke in every of her first two return video games of the decider, solely to be damaged again immediately. After Krueger held for a 3-2 lead, the Canadian double-faulted on break level to offer the American a break lead. Krueger was in full swing whereas Fernandez couldn’t discover a strategy to maintain. She was damaged in each considered one of her service video games within the deciding set because the American ran away with the win.
Fernandez is anticipated to play on the first WTA 1000 occasion of the season in Doha subsequent week.
