Canada’s Leylah Fernandez advanced to the quarterfinals of the Hong Kong Open, defeating Australia’s Kimberly Birrell 6-1, 6-2 on Thursday.
Fernandez, the tournament’s third seed, needed just 80 minutes to dispatch the world No. 115 on the hard court at Victoria Park Tennis Centre.
The 22-year-old from Laval, Que., dominated Birrell on serve, with a 76 per cent first-serve success rate and 75 per cent on her second serve, while committing just three double faults.
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Fernandez was sharp in key moments, converting four of eight break points and saving all three against her serve.
The Canadian next faces ninth-seeded American Bernarda Pera.
Fernandez holds a 2-0 career record against Pera, with their most recent matchup being a victory in the first round in Dubai last February.