Leylah Fernandez continues to roll.
After upsetting world No. 3 Naomi Osaka in the third round, Fernandez defeated 2016 US Open champion Angelique Kerber. It was a come from behind win, with Fernandez falling in the first set 4-6 before rebounding in the next two sets, 7-6(5), 6-2, to take the match.
WHAT. A. DREAM. 🙌🤩 https://t.co/pgb9fqDAtW— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) September 5, 2021
WHAT. A. DREAM. 🙌🤩 https://t.co/pgb9fqDAtW
Following the win, the then-18-year-old was visibly overcome with emotion.
ANOTHER UPSET WIN FOR @leylahfernandez ‼️The 18-year-old knocks off Angelique Kerber in three sets to move on to the #USOpen quarterfinals. pic.twitter.com/YzHI4YYpuh— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 5, 2021
ANOTHER UPSET WIN FOR @leylahfernandez ‼️The 18-year-old knocks off Angelique Kerber in three sets to move on to the #USOpen quarterfinals. pic.twitter.com/YzHI4YYpuh
It’s Fernandez’s first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Fellow teenager Emma Raducanu hopes to join Fernandez in the quarterfinal. The elevated play from the younger generation this tournament is something that Raducanu said has been helpful this past week in pushing her to play better.
“To have so many young players coming through is just really great for the game, because it just shows how strong this next generation is,” she said. “I wanted to join them in the second week as well, so that was an extra bit of motivation.”