Leylah Fernandez aims to stay alive at the National Bank Open in her second-round match.
The pregame narrative: Ashlyn Krueger awaits the Canadian in Toronto. Krueger is having a ho-hum year while Fernandez is playing some of her best tennis. She should oust Krueger in relatively short order and advance.
Check out our Krueger vs. Fernandez odds and best bet for their National Bank Open match on Aug. 8.
Krueger vs. Fernandez National Bank Open odds
Go to full Krueger vs. Fernandez betting markets.
Best bet: Fernandez -1.5 sets (+100)
Fernandez was solid in her opening match all things considered.
She was supposed to face Shuai Zhang but the veteran player was scratched due to illness. Instead, she had to prepare in short order to face a game Nao Hibino.
It took three sets for Fernandez to emerge victorious and although her serve (five aces to five faults) was a bit of an adventure, she did find quite a bit of success in the return game.
The Canadian won 49% of her return points and converted on seven-of-11 break points.
Krueger beat Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto in straight sets in the first round but this hasn't been a great year for the American. She's an underwhelming 10-10 on hardcourts, losing each of her last four matches on the surface before arriving in Toronto.
This won't be her first clash against Fernandez, either. The two squared off on grass at the Rothesay International in June in a match that wasn't very close. Fernandez disposed of Krueger in straight sets (6-2, 6-1) with little resistance.
Fernandez's serve has been solid all year and that should continue in this match. She ranks 37th in service games won percentage (71.2%) and should be able to hold serve and prevent Krueger from generating many break opportunities.
After all, this will be Krueger's fourth match in five days after she fought through qualifiers. Fighting hard for points in the return game could present a challenge with fatigue potentially setting in.
Key stat: Fernandez has won 10 of her 14 matches since the French Open.
Picks made at 10:42 a.m. ET on 08/08/2024.
