Canadian qualifier Leylah Annie Fernandez defeated 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens 6-3, 6-3 in the opening round of the Top Seed Open recently.
The 17-year-old Fernandez who ranks 120th in the world, won two qualifying matches to get to the main draw in the second week of the restart of WTA Tour following a four-month suspension of play owing to COVID-19.
Fernandez will slug it out with unseeded American, Shelby Rogers in the second round.
Before play on tour was suspended, Fernandez was doing well. She secured qualification for her first career Grand Slam at the Australian Open, defeated the then-world No. 5, Belinda Bencic of Switzerland in Fed Cup play and got to her first career WTA final at an event in Acapulco, Mexico.
