WHAT HAPPENED: Anastasia Potapova turned around a winless head-to-head record to send crowd favorite and the 2021 US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez out of the US Open on Tuesday.
Finishing in late day shadows and ringed by an enthusiastic standing room crowd on Court 5 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, the pair traded a rash of service breaks, lengthy baseline rallies and brilliant shot making for nearly two-and-half hours before Potapova rallied to oust the No. 23 seed Fernandez, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5, in the first round.
When Fernandez’s forehand clipped the net and landed wide on match point, the 23-year-old Potapova, ranked No. 38 in the world, dropped to the court in both elation and likely exhaustion from the intense duel. She had previously been 0-4 all-time aganst the Canadian left-hander.
The final set was pressure packed as both players raised the level of their play. Potapova saved three break points in the second game and one more in the fourth game to stay level with the Canadian left-hander. Fernandez escaped a break point in the ninth game.
Potopova finally took the lead, breaking serve for 6-5 when she forced Fernandez into a backhand error. There was still drama in the last game. At 30-30 Potapova reached back for a 107mph service winner to get to match point.
The second set featured either some very weak serving or some very, very good returning as there was a head scratching seven service breaks. Potapova managed to hold serve in the tenth game to close out the set, but not without a lot of drama and tension. The 11-minute-plus game went seven deuces; Potapova fought off five break points before finally holding serve with an with an ace on the fourth set point.
The tension was, however, was just building with the final set building to a rousing climax.
WHAT IT MEANS: Potapova has had an uneven Grand Slam record this year. She reached a career-best Round of 16 at the French Open, but also went out in the first round at the Australian Open and at Wimbledon.
But, she came into the US Open with some momentum and confidence after reaching the Cleveland semifinals last week and it showed against Fernandez in the clutch moments.
MATCH POINT: Potapova is a very animated player on the court. Can she keep her emotions in check in the next round to reach the US Open third round for the first time in her career?
