Leylah Fernandez has done it again. The 19-year-old took down fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals at the US Open on Tuesday to reach her first Grand Slam semifinal.
Talk about a birthday present!@leylahfernandez is through to the semifinals at the #USOpen after beating Elina Svitolina in a tiebreak 🔥She’s the youngest player to defeat two WTA Top-5 players at the same major since 17-year-old Serena Williams at the 1999 #USOpen 👀 pic.twitter.com/B84lULW0l4— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) September 7, 2021
Talk about a birthday present!@leylahfernandez is through to the semifinals at the #USOpen after beating Elina Svitolina in a tiebreak 🔥She’s the youngest player to defeat two WTA Top-5 players at the same major since 17-year-old Serena Williams at the 1999 #USOpen 👀 pic.twitter.com/B84lULW0l4
Fernandez won the first set 6-3 before losing the next 3-6. In the third, Svitolina refused to go quietly, fighting Fernandez all the way to a third set tiebreak.
This year’s @usopen just continues to DELIVER 🔥 pic.twitter.com/F0f8RgL65R— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) September 7, 2021
This year’s @usopen just continues to DELIVER 🔥 pic.twitter.com/F0f8RgL65R
It was in that tiebreak that Fernandez took the match 7-6(7).
With the win, Fernandez becomes just the third Canadian to reach a Grand Slam semifinal. She’s also the youngest player to defeat two WTA Top-5 players at the same major since 17-year-old Serena Williams at the 1999 US Open.