Fernandez moves past Bucsa to reach Nottingham quarter-finals

FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Italian Open - Foro Italico, Rome, Italy - May 11, 2025, Canada's Leylah Fernandez in action during her round of 32 match against Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

Canadian fifth seed Leylah Fernandez cruised to the quarter-finals of the Nottingham Open after a 6-3 6-4 win over Spain's Cristina Bucsa on Wednesday.

The 2021 U.S. Open runner-up dominated the first set and overcame a spirited challenge from Bucsa in the second to secure her spot in the last eight.

"Cristina's an amazing player and a great fighter. The last few times I played against her, it has always been a battle, so I knew today was going to be hard," Fernandez said.

"I'm just happy with the way that I was able to start the match and then also maintain throughout the set and the second set. I was happy that I was able to be positive and use the crowd for me during important moments."

The 22-year-old Fernandez will next face Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, who earned her quarter-final berth with a 6-2 2-6 6-4 win over Croatian qualifier Antonia Ruzic.

Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova staged a comeback to beat fourth seed Yulia Putintseva 6-1 4-6 6-4, marking her first tour-level grass-court quarter-final.

Putintseva had been aiming to avenge last month's Strasbourg Open loss to Sramkova but faltered despite taking the first set with ease.

Sramkova will next play Czech seventh seed Linda Noskova, who registered an easy 6-1 6-3 win over British wildcard Francesca Jones. REUTERS

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