Sports
Canadian Tennis Stars Shine at Roland-Garros
Leylah Annie Fernandez and Bianca Andreescu had an impressive start at Roland-Garros as they both won their opening matches on Sunday.
Fernandez, currently ranked 24th in the WTA, faced off against Karolina Muchova, the runner-up at Roland-Garros in 2023. It was a thrilling match that went to three sets, with Fernandez taking the first set 6-1.
However, Muchova fought back and claimed the second set 6-4. In the deciding third set, Fernandez found her rhythm again and triumphed with a score of 6-2 after battling for 2 hours and 21 minutes.
“It wasn’t easy, but I’m happy with my match, my competitiveness, and my positivity,” Fernandez shared. “I’m glad I didn’t give up and managed to find a solution in the third set.”
On the other side of the court, Bianca Andreescu had a solid performance against Clara Tauson, who is ranked 63rd in the world. The 24-year-old from Ontario dominated her opponent, winning in straight sets with scores of 6-2 and 6-3, finishing the match in 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Andreescu expressed her excitement about her match, saying, “There are no words to describe this. It was really incredible. I think I played great from start to finish, which was obviously the goal.”
She added that the atmosphere was fantastic, especially with many Canadians cheering her on. “No match is easy, but I felt my mindset was right from the start. I was on it from the first point, and that was the goal before the match. I served well and returned well, and that’s all I can ask for,” she continued.
As a former champion of the US Open in 2019, Andreescu is making her comeback on the courts after a 10-month break. This marks her first Olympic Games after having to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics. She is currently ranked 171st in the WTA.
For fans wanting to keep up with the Olympics, the Radio-Canada JO Paris 2024 app is available for download on various platforms.