Fernandez was knocked out in the quarter-finals in Birmingham with a three-set loss to Tomljanovic

BIRMINGHAM — Canada’s Leylah Fernandez faltered after a strong first set in a 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 loss to Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic in the quarterfinals of the Rothesay Classic on Friday.

Fernandez, seeded sixth in Birmingham, won 82.6% of first serve points and saved the only break point he faced in the first set as he broke Tomljanovic twice on four occasions .

Tomljanovic responded and scored both break points in the second set, including a key break to take a 4-2 lead.

The Australian took advantage of this momentum in the third set, scoring two early breaks to take a 3-0 lead and cruise to victory from there.

Fernandez was playing her first grass tournament of the season.

The 21-year-old from Laval, Que., ranked 33rd in the world, is 13-12 in singles this season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 21, 2024.

The Canadian Press