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Lars Hamer

The 2023 Prudential Hong Kong Open champion Leylah Fernandez got her tournament off to a winning start on Tuesday when she beat China’s Wang Xiyu in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4.
Fernandez, ranked world No 22, dispatched Wang in one hour and 25 minutes on centre court at the Victoria Park Tennis Stadium and said the evening’s match was a lesson in staying focused.
The 23-year-old Canadian was just one of a number of the tournament’s biggest names in action on Tuesday, with No 1 seed Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, Filipino star Alexandra Eala and Britain’s Katie Boulter all playing on centre court.
“I’m still trying to figure that out, how to not lose concentration in certain moments,” Fernandez said.
“I mean, it will happen. It’s very hard to keep the focus level super-high from the first point to the last point. But, you know, I was just pretty proud of myself that today, when it did happen, when I lost the break … that I stayed positive and calm.

“I was listening to my coach’s instructions and just kind of stayed in the present moment. So that’s what I was proud of, but I think maintaining focus for a full two hours is something that I need to work on.”
Fernandez made a blistering start to the match, breaking her world No 167 opponent twice.
After that heavy first set loss, things looked like they would go from bad to worse for Wang, as she was immediately broken in the second set.
But she held serve when 2-0 down and then broke back to bring the set level. The tie then descended into a bit of chaos, with both players failing to utilise their first serve and trading breaks to bring the set to 3-3.
Despite winning the match, Fernandez finished the night with a first-serve rate of 62 per cent, the winning difference coming from her superior ground strokes, evidenced by a strong cross-court forehand that set up her eighth break point and was so tight on the line that the Chinese player challenged, unsuccessfully.
With Fernandez serving for the match, Wang’s day was summed up when she hit two unforced errors to hand her Canadian counterpart the match.
“Growing up, I’ve never really been the biggest, but I definitely like to run, so I learned how to hustle and how to get one more ball back in,” Fernandez said.
“But also just my ground strokes … just being offensive as quickly as possible, the timing of taking the ball as early as possible to destabilise my opponents is definitely one of my strengths.”

After Fernandez, Bencic, who won the Japan Open in Tokyo on Sunday, took to centre court. The 28-year-old, who celebrated her win by having a McDonald’s and a beer in the airport and arrived in Hong Kong at 4am on Monday, did not show any signs of fatigue, taking down Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-3, 6-4.
“I’m happy if I didn’t show any signs [of fatigue],” Bencic said. “I definitely feel fatigue, of course, but you know, somehow in the match, you always try to fight through and kind of try to play with what you have.”
“I think we’re professional enough to kind of try to give our best we have that day. So that’s what I’m trying to do, and I’ll do my best to recover for the next match.”
The final match of the day saw world No 51 Eala progressing to the second round, after Boulter, the world No 79, pulled out of the match early in the second set with a thigh injury.


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Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open

Hong Kong Open: staying focused the key for Leylah Fernandez as she beats Wang Xiyu

Leylah Fernandez beat China’s Wang Xiyu in straight sets to get her Prudential Hong Kong Open campaign on the way at Victoria Park on Tuesday. Photo: Eugene Lee

World No 22 Leylah Fernandez finished the match with a first-serve rate of just 62 per cent. Photo: Eugene Lee

Belinda Bencic arrived in Hong Kong straight after winning the Japan Open on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

Tennis stars Fernandez, Lys, give Hong Kong children an introduction to game they love

Judy Murray demonstrates a shot during the event at Causeway Bay Sports Ground. Photo: Eugene Lee

Canadian tennis player Leylah Fernandez (centre) is a fan favourite in Hong Kong. Photo: Eugene Lee

German’s Eva Lys (left) is visiting the city for the first time. Photo: Eugene Lee

Hong Kong Open: top seed Belinda Bencic fuelled by McDonald’s and hunger for more success

Belinda Bencic arrives for a practice session with some of Hong Kong’s talented youngsters. Photo: HKCTA

Belinda Bencic visited the pandas at Hong Kong’s Ocean Park on Monday. Photo: HKCTA

Sport

Hong Kong

China

Canadian opens campaign with flawed display on centre court, while Belinda Bencic and Alexandra Eala also progress to the next round


Canadian opens campaign with flawed display on centre court, while Belinda Bencic and Alexandra Eala also progress to the next round.


Hong Kong Open: staying focused the key for Leylah Fernandez as she beats Wang Xiyu

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Canadian opens campaign with flawed display on centre court, while Belinda Bencic and Alexandra Eala also progress to the next round

Canadian opens campaign with flawed display on centre court, while Belinda Bencic and Alexandra Eala also progress to the next round