Fernandez ousts osaka fil-canadian progresses in US open

New York – Fil-Canadian teen Leylah Fernandez never stopped believing she could beat Naomi Osaka, not even when the four-time Grand Slam champion was serving for the match, and her determination was rewarded.

Three days before her 19th birthday, the 73rd-ranked daughter of an Ecuadoran father and Filipino-Canadian mother battled back to deliver a stunning 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-4 upset of the world number three from Japan in Friday’s US Open.

“From a very young age, I knew I was able to beat anyone who is in front of me,” Fernandez said. “I’ve always had that belief. I’ve always tried to use that in every match.

“I guess today that belief came true.”

She advanced to the fourth round against world number 17 Angelique Kerber of Germany, who beat Sloane Stephens of the US, 5-7, 6-2, 6-3.

Another 18-year-old, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz pulled off a shock reversal over French Open runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (2), 0-6, 7-6 (5).

Alcaraz is the youngest man in the US Open fourth round since 17-year-old American Michael Chang in 1989 and at any Slam since Ukraine’s Andrei Medvedev in the 1992 French Open.

“Incredible. Incredible feeling for me,” Alcaraz said. “This victory means a lot to me. It’s the best match of my career, the best win.”

Fernandez, coached by her dad, solved Osaka’s serve in the 12th game of the second set as the defending champion was serving for the match.

Instead, Fernandez broke to force a tie-breaker, then rolled to a 5-0 lead while Osaka was slamming her racquet to the court in frustration.

“I was very happy how I played in the first set. In the break I was telling myself to stay positive, keep fighting. ‘I’m there. I’m close,’” Fernandez said.

“In the second set, I guess on the very last game I found the solution to the problem of returning her serve. I’m glad I found it.”

Fernandez said it was a matter of finding the proper position to deal with Osaka’s first serve, which landed 63 percent of the time to 80 percent for Fernandez.

“I was trying to find different looks. I started off really far from the line. Then I was just edging closer and closer. Finally I found a pattern to her serve. I just trusted my gut and hit the ball.”