Canada’s Leylah Fernandez advanced to the quarter-finals of the Ningbo Open on Wednesday after a hard-fought victory over Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich. Fernandez, ranked 30th globally, defeated the world number 122 in a three-hour match, winning 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-3.

The 24-year-old from Laval, Quebec, battled through a match marked by a high number of errors, committing 53 unforced errors and eight double faults compared to Sasnovich’s 73 unforced errors. Fernandez also converted eight of 15 break point chances, while Sasnovich converted five of six, ultimately sealing the win on her first match point. The victory brings Fernandez’s career head-to-head record against Sasnovich to 2-2, marking her second consecutive three-set match win in the tournament.

Fernandez is set to face Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova in the quarter-finals. Alexandrova advanced after third-seeded Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine withdrew from their scheduled match due to injury. Kostyuk’s withdrawal also ended her hopes of qualifying for the WTA Finals, a development that simultaneously secured qualification for Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic. Kostyuk required a spot in the Ningbo final to maintain her chances of reaching the season-ending event.

Muchova joins a group of qualified players that includes Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka, Mirra Andreeva, Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff, Elina Svitolina, and Linda Noskova for the WTA Finals, scheduled for November 8 to 15 in Indian Wells, California.

Additionally, Fernandez and Kostyuk’s doubles quarter-final matchup against top seeds Nicole Melichar of the United States and Cristina Bucsa of Spain was canceled following Kostyuk’s injury.