Canadians Bianca Andreescu and Katherine Sebov are each one win away from a berth in the main singles draw at Wimbledon after winning their second-round qualifying matches on Wednesday. The victories came during a day of play in London that was challenged by extreme heat and a power outage, according to The Canadian Press.
How did Andreescu advance?
Bianca Andreescu defeated Switzerland’s Jil Teichmann in a three-set match. After dropping the first set, the former world No. 4 from Mississauga, Ontario, rallied to win 6-7, 6-1, 6-4. Andreescu will next play Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus in the final qualifying round.
How did Sebov win her match?
Katherine Sebov of Toronto secured her spot in the final round with a victory over Germany’s Noma Noha Akugue. Sebov fought back from a 5-3 deficit in the deciding set to win 6-4, 5-7, 7-5. According to The Canadian Press, Sebov was a late addition to the qualifying tournament, taking the place of a player who withdrew just before the event began. She will face Iryna Shymanovich for a place in the main draw.
Were other Canadians in action?
Alexis Galarneau of Laval, Quebec, was eliminated from the men's qualifying tournament. He lost his second-round match 7-5, 6-2 to British wild card Oliver Tarvet. The Canadian Press reports this is the second consecutive year Tarvet has defeated Galarneau in Wimbledon qualifying.
What were the playing conditions?
Play was complicated by severe weather and technical issues at the Roehampton qualifying venue. Temperatures reached 35 C, leading to delays and prompting the All England Club to keep ball boys and girls home for their safety, with adult staff taking over their duties. The club also confirmed a temporary power outage affected the electronic line-calling system, with heat being considered a possible cause.
The final round of qualifying will determine which players advance to the main draw of the tournament.