Canada's Fernandez advances, Auger-Aliassime falls at Australian Open

Leylah Fernandez of Canada plays a backhand return to Cristina Bucsa of Spain during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Manish Swarup

MELBOURNE — Canadian Leylah Fernandez overcame a first-set loss and rain delay to reach the third round while Felix Auger-Aliassime’s Australian Open bid ended Wednesday.

The 30th-seeded Fernandez dropped the opening set to Moldovan-born Cristina Bucsa of Spain but bounced back to win 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the two-hour 25-minute match.

The victory marks the first time that the Laval, Que., athlete has made it to the third round of the Grand Slam event at Melbourne Park.

Fernandez, who had two aces, had a slow start against Bucsa. She finished with more double faults (7-4) and unforced errors (40-25), but appeared to gain momentum after winning the second set.

Fernandez will next play third-seeded American Coco Gauff.

Meanwhile, Auger-Aliassime, who was coming off a title at the Adelaide International, dropped a 6-7 (9), 6-7 (7), 6-4, 6-1, 6-3 decision to Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in second-round play.

In women’s doubles, the second-seeded duo of Gabriela Dabrowski of Ottawa and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand reached the second round with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Americans Danielle Collins and Desirae Krawczyk.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 15, 2025.

The Canadian Press