Defending champion Leylah Annie Fernandez got off to a great start at the WTA Tournament in Monterrey, Mexico on Monday with a clear 6-2, 6-2 victory over Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.

Fernandez, 2nd place in the competition, did things right from the first blows, scoring the break without conceding a single point to her opponent in the opening game.

In this way, Fernandez, who was booked for the final match of the night at Center Court, won each of the first eleven points of the clash.

Thanks to three breaks in six attempts, the young Lavalouaz won the first set in just over half an hour, the one who had not played a match for a month.

The damn rhythm imposed by Fernandez continued in the 2nd set, while the favorite created two more break of service. Her victory against the 88th player in the world was confirmed after 65 minutes of play.

“Thank you for being in my game tonight. It is true that I have not been very active lately, but I have continued to work hard in training. “I just hope I gave you a show you liked,” she said in a post-match interview.

During the round of 16, the Canadian will face the winner of the duel of China Qinwen Zheng (77th in the world) and Italy Lucia Bronzetti (102nd).

In March 2021, Fernandez lifted her first professional trophy at the age of 18 in the same tournament, defeating Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland in the final.

Earlier in the day, Fernandez dropped two places in the new WTA rankings. It now ranks 21st in the world.

Other results from Monday in Monterrey :

Viktoriya Tomova (BUL) beats Diane Parry (FRA) 6-4, 6-0

Marcela Zacarias (MEX) beats Emma Navarro (USA) 6-1, 6-7 (3/7), 6-3

María Camila Osorio (COL / no 5) beat Magdalena Frech (POL) 6-3, 7-6 (8/6)

Sara Sorribes (ESP / no 4) defeats Kamilla Rakhimova (Russia) 7-5, 6-7 (2/7), 6-1

Harmony Tan (FRA) beats Renata Zarazúa (MEX) 6-0, 1-0 (withdrawal)

Heather Watson (GBR) beats Jule Niemeier (GER) 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7/4)

Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA) beats Panna Udvardy (HUN) 1-6, 6-1, 7-5