Leylah Fernández emulates Andreescu two years later

“I don’t know how I did it.” Leylah Fernández said after defeating Aryna Sabalenka, world number two, and getting into the final of the US Open with just 19 years of age. And it is not strange that he thought that, because before the leader of the year in victories (43) and one of the most powerful hitting players, if not the most, on the circuit had it complicated, but she got it (7-6 (3), 4-6 and 6-4 in 2 :twenty). With intelligence and patience, the Canadian, daughter of a former Ecuadorian soccer player, emulated the achievement of her compatriot Bianca Andreescu, who reached the US tournament title match at the same age and was ultimately champion. Leylah, who has eliminated four top tennis players, Osaka, Kerber, Svitolina and Sabalenka in recent days, will try to give his country’s tennis another title on Saturday (10pm, Eurosport) against 18-year-old British Emma Raducanu, who was able to with 26-year-old Greek Maria Sakkari.

“People have never given up on me, thank you, New York”, thanked Fernández, who pointed out as a secret of his resistance, the “years and years of hard work and tears on and off the track.” And he could not choose a single thing that he would have liked more about his experience these weeks. “A lot of adorable things have happened to me. I have met Bille Jean King, Juan Martín del Potro, Steve Nash is in my box, thanks for coming. He is a great inspiration, my father used him as an example, so it’s an honor that he’s here watching me play, ”he said about the former NBA player and his countryman.

Leylah’s great merit was patiently withstanding Sabalenka’s furious attacks, who landed 45 winners., 10 of them from direct service, but also added 52 unforced errors, 29 more than his opponent, who took advantage of the speed of the Belarusian’s blows and like the angels subtracted a player who credited 81% of points won with first serves in his previous five games. Aryna, who was a bundle of nerves and made a regrettable last game with double faults and two bulk misses, is once again on the verge of a Grand Slam final, as happened this year at Wimbledon. He is 23 years old and, therefore, time to find a balance between aggressiveness and the commendable courage with which he plays and the precision needed to beat more tactical players like Fernandez, a star in the making.

Results, table and schedules.