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WASHINGTON — Canada’s Leylah Fernandez advanced to her first semifinal of the season with a 6-4, 7-6 (4) win over American qualifier and former doubles partner Taylor Townsend on Friday at the Citi Open hardcourt tennis tournament.
Fernandez played an aggressive return game against Townsend and had 23 break-point chances, converting five.
Still, Fernandez only finished the game one break ahead after defending just three of the seven break-point chances she faced.
Fernandez, who advanced to the quarterfinals with a win Thursday over top-seed Jessica Pegula, appeared to be battling cramps in the second set, but held on to win the second set tiebreak.
The 22-year-old from Laval, Que., will next face third-seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan. They are tied 1-1 in head-to-head matchups.
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The Canadian is rounding into form at the right time, with the main draw of the women’s National Bank Open presented by Rogers kicking off Sunday in Montreal.
Fernandez joins Britain’s Emma Raducanu in the semifinals in Washington. It’s the first time they have been in the final four of a tournament since they met in the final of the 2021 U.S. Open, which Raducanu won in straight sets.
Fernandez and Townsend had success as a doubles tandem during the 2023 season. While they did not win a title, they made it to the final of the French Open and the WTA 1000 Miami Open, as well as the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open.