US Open: Teenager Leylah Fernandez beats Elina Svitolina to reach semi-finals

Fernandez has beaten Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber and now Elina Svitolina in New York

Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez produced another fearless performance to beat fifth seed Elina Svitolina and reach the US Open semi-finals.

Svitolina, 26, had overturned a 5-3 deficit in the third but could not stop Fernandez's thrilling, powerful play.

Fernandez will play either Aryna Sabalenka or Barbora Krejcikova next.

Fernandez has beaten defending champion Naomi Osaka, 2016 winner Angelique Kerber and now Olympic bronze medallist Svitolina in her run to her first major semi-final.

She has shown remarkable composure in New York, backing up her easy power with a calmness and composure on court.

As Svitolina sent a return of serve long on match point, Fernandez fell to her knees and teared up as she was given a lengthy ovation by the fans on Arthur Ashe.

"I honestly have no idea what I'm feeling right now. I was so nervous throughout the whole match," she said.

"I was honoured to have a fight with Svitolina. I just told myself to go for every point. I'm glad I did."

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'Fernandez is no flash in the pan'

As British tennis player Naomi Broady told 5 Live Sport: "This is not a flash in the pan. Fernandez has backed it up match after match."

The teenagers have made a breakthrough in this year's US Open, with 18-year-olds Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alvaraz also reaching the fourth round along with Fernandez.

Fernandez has shown them that going one further, no matter the opponent, is possible. She has done it by trusting in her game and her big-hitting weapons, finishing with 42 winners against Svitolina.

Her father, who coaches her, is not in New York but she has a lively support box, led by her fitness coach Duglas Cordero who constantly asked them to make more noise.

She started strongly, breaking for a 4-2 lead and smashing winners past an increasingly passive Svitolina.

An Olympic bronze medallist in Tokyo, Svitolina was slow to adjust her game, but she mixed defence with offence better in the third to finally break the Fernandez serve.

But Fernandez simply kept hitting and winning the long rallies, breaking back as Svitolina served for the set at 5-1, and creating four break points in the Ukrainian's next service game.

The scream that Svitolina let out when an ace out wide wrapped up the second set showed how frustrated she was, but she made the first dent in the third set.

Again, Fernandez hit her way out of trouble, choosing her shots carefully and outmanoeuvring Svitolina at the net. Three breaks of serve led to the Canadian serving for the match, but she appeared nervy for the first time, allowing Svitolina an opening.

The tie-break, however, felt like one-way traffic. Fernandez raced out to a 4-1 lead and the points that went against her were largely of her own making, rather than one last push from Svitolina.

The Ukrainian fought hard but she could not stem Fernandez's momentum, with the two sharing a hug and a brief word before Svitolina left the court.

Svitolina is often tipped as a Grand Slam champion in waiting but she has reached just two major semi-finals at the French Open and Flushing Meadows in 2019.

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