Leylah Fernandez suffered a blow to her US Open preparations after losing 6-4 7-5 to Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova in the Cincinnati Open first round while Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina was among those advancing in the WTA 1000 event.
Canadian Fernandez, the 2021 US Open runner-up, was playing only her third singles match since returning from a foot injury at the French Open.
The 19-year-old lefthander, who lost to fellow teenager Emma Raducanu in last year’s Flushing Meadows final, led 3-0 in the first set and 5-1 in the second but could not press home her advantage, allowing world number 27 Alexandrova to rally and take the match in straight sets.
Rybakina had a relatively comfortable outing against Egyptian Mayar Sherif, winning 6-3 6-2.
Cincinnati-born Caty McNally also moved ahead, overcoming leg cramps to beat Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-3 3-6 7-6(2).
