World No. 1 Swiatek makes quick work of Leylah Fernandez in Round 2 of Dubai Open

21.02.2023 - 21:33 cbc.ca

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 win over Canada's Leylah Fernandez in second-round action Tuesday at the Dubai Tennis Championships.

Fernandez, from Laval, Que., is still trying to get back into the form that propelled her to the 2021 U.S. Open final since recovering from a stress fracture in her foot that derailed the end of her 2022 campaign.

She has shown recent progress, with a run to the quarterfinals last week in Doha, Qatar, and a confident 6-4, 6-2 first-round win over Julia Grabher on Sunday.

But Swiatek proved to be too much of an obstacle on Tuesday. The Polish star fired five aces and broke Fernandez six times on seven chances in a match that lasted just one hour 12 minutes.

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Iga Swiatek says there is a «target on her back» ahead of Indian Wells this year and admits she is feeling more pressure heading into the tournament than in previous editions. The Pole enjoyed a remarkable 2022 where she won a total of eight titles, including two of the four Grand Slams, and went on a 37-match winning streak. Last April she became world No.

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