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Ningbo Open: Fatigue vs. Freshness in Quarterfinal Clash
23 Oct
Summary
- Leylah Fernandez has spent nearly six hours on court in Ningbo.
- Ekaterina Alexandrova advanced with significantly less court time.
- Alexandrova leads their head-to-head series 3-2, with two wins in three sets.
In the quarterfinals of the 2026 Ningbo Open, Leylah Fernandez is set to compete against Ekaterina Alexandrova. Fernandez advanced after a demanding three-hour match against Aliaksandra Sasnovich, marking her second consecutive three-set victory in the tournament. Her cumulative court time in Ningbo has reached nearly six hours.
Meanwhile, Ekaterina Alexandrova has progressed with much less exertion. She defeated Guo Hanyu and benefited from Marta Kostyuk's retirement. Alexandrova, currently ranked World No. 33, boasts a 16-15 hard-court record this season.
The head-to-head record slightly favors Alexandrova, who leads 3-2, with two of those wins going to the maximum sets. This suggests a history of closely contested matches between the two players.
Alexandrova may hold an advantage due to her fresher legs, given Fernandez's extensive time on court. However, Fernandez has proven she can overcome tough opponents and defeat Alexandrova, as she did just last week in Wuhan in a three-set encounter. Another extended battle is anticipated.
