WHAT HAPPENED: A cooling sunshower delayed the mixed doubles match pitting Leylah Fernandez and Jack Sock against Gabriela Dabrowski and Max Purcell.
But then the rain stopped, the temperature dropped and the humidity stuck around—this is New York after all. The changed weather seemed to favor Fernandez and Sock, who posted a 6-4, 7-6(4) victory to reach the quarterfinals.
There was a lot of doubles talent assembled on Court 17. American Sock has 17 doubles titles, including mixed-doubles Olympic gold (won in 2016 with Bethanie Mattek-Sands) and a mixed-doubles US Open championship title (won with Melanie Oudin in 2011). Australia’s Purcell is one half of the reigning Wimbledon men’s doubles team (he claimed the title with Matthew Ebden) and Canada’s Dabrowski is ranked No. 4 in the world for women’s doubles.
In the first set, Sock seemed energized, leaping to gain height on floating groundstrokes, then sending winners into the stands. The steady Fernandez hit low, stinging drives—less powerful, but just as lethal. They took the set by a single break.
The stadium was packed, with onlookers from a neighboring court watching from on high. Sock gave “I’m not worthy” props to his partner, who was all smiles, and their good humor was as winning as their shot-making. Still, the tight second set was decided in a tiebreak and Sock and Fernandez took it and the match.
WHAT IT MEANS: Fernandez and Sock will take on Australian No. 4 seeds Storm Sanders and John Peers in the quarterfinals. In their Round 2 match, the Aussies dispatched American duo Bernarda Pera and Jackson Withrow, 6-4, 6-4.
MATCH POINT: For Fernandez, the win is an early birthday present. She turns 21 on September 6.
Fernandez, a Canadian compatriot and the runner-up in the 2021 women’s singles finals, is newer to doubles—but has found positive on-court chemistry with Sock, a first-time partner.
