Leylah Fernandez spent two days dissecting one opponent含羞草研究社檚 game and had to pivot quickly before hitting Centre Court on home soil on Wednesday.

Fernandez was originally scheduled to face China含羞草研究社檚 Zhang Shuai in the first round of the National Bank Open at Toronto含羞草研究社檚 Sobeys Stadium, but the WTA Tour含羞草研究社檚 63rd-ranked player was scratched because of a viral illness and replaced by Japan含羞草研究社檚 Nao Hibino on short notice.

Despite a roller-coaster performance, Fernandez handled that curveball to advance and secure a spot in the second round of Canada含羞草研究社檚 national tennis championship, defeating Hibino 6-3, 5-7, 6-1.

含羞草研究社淚 found out about the change around 4:30 (p.m.),含羞草研究社� said the tournament含羞草研究社檚 15th seed, who faced Hibino some 2 1/2 hours later. 含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檇 just spent a good amount, like 48 hours, of analyzing.

含羞草研究社淏ut a change of opponent happens 含羞草研究社� it含羞草研究社檚 last minute 含羞草研究社� we含羞草研究社檝e just got to go with the flow.含羞草研究社�

The 21-year-old Laval, Que., product improved to 4-1 against Hibino after the win.

Fernandez started brightly and blasted her second ace of the match to close out the first set.

She was serving for the match and two points away from victory before Hibino (No. 151) pushed back to take a nervy, back-and-forth second set 7-5 that was starting to look eerily similar to Bianca Andreescu含羞草研究社檚 meltdown some 24 hours earlier on the same surface.

含羞草研究社淭here was a big dip and I guess I gave her confidence,含羞草研究社� said Fernandez, the No. 25 player in the world. 含羞草研究社淚 wasn含羞草研究社檛 the one that was offensive, the aggressor 含羞草研究社� she was. That was a big difference.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a set that I would like to forget.含羞草研究社�

Fernandez, who made the third round of last year含羞草研究社檚 NBO in Montreal, settled down and went up an early break in the third set to take a 2-1 lead after digging out of a hole on serve the previous game.

The U.S. Open finalist in 2021 then broke her opponent again with a sliced drop shot for a 4-1 lead before securing a third break to seal the win.

Next up is qualifier Ashlyn Krueger (No. 82) of the U.S. in Thursday含羞草研究社檚 second round. The pair含羞草研究社檚 only head-to-head came in June on grass at the Rothesay International when the Canadian picked up an emphatic 6-2, 6-1 victory.

含羞草研究社淚 didn含羞草研究社檛 play too well,含羞草研究社� Fernandez said in summarizing Wednesday含羞草研究社檚 performance. 含羞草研究社淭oo many mistakes.含羞草研究社�

Marina Stakusic of Mississauga, Ont., joined her compatriot in the second round after the 19-year-old came back to defeat Russia含羞草研究社檚 Erika Andreeva 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-4 in her first NBO main-draw appearance.

Stakusic, who entered the week ranked 160th, will face Taylor Townsend on Thursday.

The 71st-ranked American lost in qualifying, but earned a spot in the women含羞草研究社檚 bracket as an injury replacement before first-round opponent and No. 16 seed Dayana Yastremska retired in Tuesday含羞草研究社檚 second set with Townsend up 6-3, 3-1.

Vancouver含羞草研究社檚 Rebecca Marino, meanwhile, lost her first-round match 6-3, 6-4 to Poland含羞草研究社檚 Magda Linette on Wednesday.

In other notable action at the US$3.2-million women含羞草研究社檚 event that saw a boatload of withdrawals last week 含羞草研究社� including the top-ranked Iga Swiatek 含羞草研究社� defending champion and No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula of the U.S. beat Czechia含羞草研究社檚 Karolina Pliskova 7-5, 6-4 to advanced to the third round.

Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka of Japan defeated No. 9 seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia 6-3, 6-1. No. 1 seed Coco Gauff of the U.S. and No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus will hit the court for their second-round matches Thursday.

The first Canadian to win the event in 55 years back in 2019, Andreescu was eliminated Tuesday night after the Mississauga native dropped her first-round match 0-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Ukraine含羞草研究社檚 Lesia Tsurenko.

Stakusic, who grew up attending the Toronto leg of the event and got a spot in the draw as a wild card, envisioned herself on this stage as a kid.

含羞草研究社淚t was really nice to see everybody cheering,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淚t was amazing just to have the support.含羞草研究社�

Fernandez, meanwhile, will have a busy Thursday.

She含羞草研究社檚 also set to compete in doubles with younger sister Bianca in the second round against the American duo of Krueger 含羞草研究社� her singles opponent hours earlier 含羞草研究社� and Catherine Harrison.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 just happy that I get to share the court with her,含羞草研究社� Fernandez said of playing alongside Bianca. 含羞草研究社淗opefully, it goes well and we get to continue this adventure.含羞草研究社�

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 7, 2024.

___

Follow @JClipperton_CP on X.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press