Canadian Fernandez, Andreescu Advance in Charleston Open

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina - Canadian tennis players Leylah Fernandez and Bianca Andreescu advanced in the Charleston Open on Wednesday, highlighting a strong showing for the country's athletes at the WTA 500 clay-court tournament.

Fernandez, the ninth seed from Laval, Quebec, defeated Uzbekistan's Polina Kudermetova 6-2, 6-1 in the second round to reach the third round. The 23-year-old converted four of nine break-point opportunities and saved all three she faced, completing the match in one hour and 15 minutes. Entering the event with a 3-8 record for the season, Fernandez has struggled early in 2026 but expressed optimism about building momentum on the green clay courts. She will next play seventh-seeded Diana Shnaider of Russia, against whom the pair has split their four prior meetings, with Shnaider winning the most recent two encounters.

In the opening round on Tuesday, Andreescu secured her first WTA Tour main-draw victory of the season, rallying from a set deficit to beat Hungary's Dalma Galfi 1-6, 6-4, 6-1. The 24-year-old from Mississauga, Ontario, currently ranked 140th, ended an eight-month winless streak at the tour level that dated back to her first-round...