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Leylah Fernandez saves five match points to win Monterrey title

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Leylah Fernandez won her second tour-level final Sunday. (Photo by Gonzalo Gonzalez/Jam Media/Getty Images)

Leylah Fernandez outlasted Camila Osorio at the Abierto GNP Seguros tournament on Sunday, taking the three-set thriller 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(3) to defend her title. The second-seed saved five championship points during the 2 hour and 52 minute match.

Fernandez got off to a hot start, taking a 4-1 lead and serving for the first set at 5-3, before Osorio fought back to take the first set. In the second set, Fernandez again took a 4-1 lead before Osorio made it 5-4.

Osorio took a 4-1 lead in the third set before Fernandez fought back, rallying to erase five different championship points and take the win.

“Today it was a very, very tough match, not only physically or tennis-wise, but mentally,” Fernandez said. “Camila, she’s a tough player to play against. She’s very crafty, she does slices, high balls, it’s very unpredictable.

“I’m very, very happy to have gone through these hard moments, and have fought, found solutions. And Camila, I hope we have many, many more finals like this, because without her, I don’t think this tournament, this final, would be [as] special.”

It was the first professional meeting between 19-year-old Fernandez and 20-year-old Osorio. The two met three times in junior Grand Slam events, with Fernandez holding the edge 2-1.

World No. 21 Fernandez is now 12-1 in Monterrey, having won her past 10 matches there.

She is now 2-2 in tour-level finals, with both titles coming at the Abierto GNP Seguros tournament. A third final was a loss in Mexico in 2020 and the fourth her runner-up showing at the 2021 US Open.

Osorio, who was ranked No. 44 in the world prior to the tournament, is expected to land inside the Top 40 for a new career-high ranking.