Canada's Fernandez ousted by Rybakina in Qatar Open quarterfinals

DOHA, Qatar — Canada's Leylah Fernandez was eliminated from the Qatar Open on Thursday with a 6-4, 6-2 quarterfinal loss to third seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan.

Fernandez, from Laval, Que., led the first set 4-1 and appeared to be in control of the match.

But Rybakina won the next six games and defended five game points in the final game of the first set before clinching it 6-4.

Rybakina also won the last four games of the match on her way to advancing to her third semifinal of the season.

Rybakina will next face Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who is making her first hard-court semifinal appearance at a WTA 1000 tournament in 14 years.

The 21-year-old Fernandez, who entered the tournament ranked 38th in the world, improved her singles record on the year to 5-3 by advancing to the quarterfinals in Doha.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 15, 2024.