TORONTO — Reigning Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina advanced to the fourth round of the WTA Toronto Masters yesterday while French Open winner Mirra Andreeva was eliminated by Canada’s Leylah Fernandez.
World number two Rybakina from Kazakhstan defeated American 28th seed Ann Li 6-2, 7-5 in 90 minutes, winning five of six break chances while saving two of four against her.
Rybakina, who also won the 2022 Wimbledon title, advanced to a last-16 meeting with Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova, who outlasted Australian Maya Joint 7-5, 6-7 (3/7), 6-2.
Samsonova leads the career rivalry with Rybakina 4-2, but Rybakina has won their past two WTA meetings, most recently in last year’s Strasbourg final.
Fernandez, the 30th seed, dispatched 19-year-old fifth-ranked Russian Andreeva 6-1, 6-4 in 80 minutes, snapping a seven-match losing streak against top-10 opponents.
Fernandez last beat a player ranked so high when she downed fourth-rated Jessica Pegula on her way to last year’s WTA Washington title.
“The key for me was to stay positive, stay strong, and to keep being patient,” Fernandez said. “She wasn’t going to give away some easy balls.”
The Canadian left-hander won 24 of 27 points on her first serve and captured 17 of 23 points on Andreeva’s second serves to advance. Andreeva made 34 unforced errors to 17 winners.
“I’ve put in the work. I know physically I’m strong. I know I can endure long rallies, long matches,” Fernandez said. “So if it’s going to take 100 balls to hit to put it in to break her down, then so be it.”
Fernandez will next face four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka, the 11th seed from Japan who defeated Belgium’s 20th-seeded Elise Mertens 6-1, 6-2 in 71 minutes.
Osaka fired seven aces and took four of eight break points while denying Mertens on her three break chances.
Fernandez and Osaka have split two career meetings, the Canadian winning at the 2021 US Open on the way to a runner-up finish. Osaka won last year at Wuhan.
“It’s tough because she’s lefty,” Osaka said. “Obviously there aren’t many lefties on tour, so it takes me awhile to get used to that. She has a really good attitude. I’ve never seen her down. She always keeps fighting. I really appreciate that about her.”
