CINCINNATI (USA) – Winning debut for Sara Errani in the doubles draw of the Cincinnati Open. The tennis player from Romagna, fresh from the final played in Toronto alongside the American Nicole Melichar-Martinez, has chosen to team up with the Canadian for the WTA 1000 in Ohio Leylah Fernandez.
Errani and Fernandez beat the German in the first round Tamara Korpatsch and the British Emily Webley-Smithwith the score of 6-2, 7-6(2).
Errani changes partner after the Toronto final
The 39-year-old Italian, world number 9 in doubles rankings, arrives in Cincinnati with a new partner after an excellent run in Toronto.
Alongside her is Fernandez, a 23-year-old from Montreal and number 66 in the WTA rankings for the specialty.
The Italian-Canadian pair immediately showed good chemistry, dominating the first set 6-2. The second set was more closely contested, decided in a tie-break, where Errani and Fernandez clearly prevailed by 7 points to 2.
Change of opponents before the match
Korpatsch and Webley-Smith had entered the draw in place of the Russian Mirra Andreeva and of the Romanian Sorana Cirstea, replacing them after the draw.
The success allows Errani and Fernandez to continue their journey in the prestigious tournament played on the hard courts of the Lindner Family Tennis Center, WTA 1000 with a total prize money of $7,433,076.
Errani thus continues her season as a protagonist in doubles, a specialty in which the Italian remains at the top of the world rankings.
