Leylah Fernandez turned a first-set deficit into a hard-earned Ningbo Open victory on Wednesday, outlasting qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-3 in a second-round contest that ran for 3 hours and 3 minutes. The Canadian, who trailed 5-3 in the opener, now moves into her fifth WTA Tour quarterfinal of 2026 and her first at this event.
- Fernandez recovered from 5-3 down to take the opening set, 7-5.
- Sasnovich forced a decider by claiming the second-set tiebreak 7-3.
- Fernandez regained control in the third set, closing out a 6-3 finish.
The win lifted Fernandez to a 3-2 career record against Sasnovich, with all three of her victories over the Belarusian having come on hard courts. After a match filled with extended exchanges and momentum swings, Fernandez said her composure was decisive.
“I enjoyed the fight,” Fernandez said. “It was very difficult, but it was fun to play before such a good crowd in this stadium. I was pleased that I stayed calm and positive in those moments, though I hope I can maintain my focus from the beginning next time.”
Alexandrova awaits in the quarterfinals
Fernandez will next face Ekaterina Alexandrova, the 2025 Ningbo finalist. The Russian advanced when third seed Marta Kostyuk retired after losing the first set 6-4 in their second-round match.
The quarterfinal will be a quick rematch of last week’s Wuhan meeting, where Fernandez defeated Alexandrova in three sets. Their previous three encounters have all required a deciding set, although Alexandrova holds a 3-2 advantage in the overall series.
Alexandrova arrives with considerably fresher legs. She has spent 1 hour and 53 minutes on court through two rounds in Ningbo, while Fernandez has accumulated 5 hours and 52 minutes. Alexandrova is still chasing the title that narrowly escaped her last season, when she won the opening set of the final against Elena Rybakina before taking only two games across the remaining two sets.
WTA Finals qualification settled
Kostyuk’s retirement also confirmed Karolina Muchova as the eighth and final singles qualifier for the WTA Finals Indian Wells. The 30-year-old will make her debut at the season-ending championships after Kostyuk lost the chance to overtake her by winning the Ningbo title.
Top doubles seeds survive elite opening test
In the doubles draw, top-seeded Cristina Bucsa and Nicole Melichar-Martinez overcame Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini 7-5, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals. The match lasted 1 hour and 32 minutes, with Bucsa and Melichar-Martinez earning breaks in the last game of each set.
The pair arrived in Ningbo after winning Guadalajara and finishing runners-up in Rome, and their place at the WTA Finals Indian Wells is already secure. Errani and Paolini, meanwhile, remain provisionally in possession of the eighth and final qualifying place in the doubles race.
