Leylah Fernandez, of Canada, returns the ball to Jessica Pegula, of the United States, during the third round of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

By The Canadian Press

Canada’s Fernandez, Shapovalov out of U.S. Open after third-round losses

Sep 4, 2026 | 11:03 AM

NEW YORK — Canada’s Leylah Fernandez is out of the U.S. Open after a 1-6. 6-4, 6-3 loss to third seed Jessica Pegula of the United States in third-round action Friday.

The 23-year-old from Laval, Que., got off to a roaring start at Arthur Ashe Stadium, scoring a break to go up 2-0 in the first set and then breaking to love for a 5-1 lead before serving out the set.

Pegula scored her first break of the match at a key moment to take a 4-2 lead in the second set.

Fernandez got the break back later to cut Pegula’s lead to 5-4, but Pegula won against serve again to take the set.

Pegula’s third break of the match put her up 3-1 in the third set, and she held serve from there to win the match in two hours 10 minutes.

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Fernandez was the U.S. Open runner-up in 2021.

Fernandez is still active in doubles competition at the hard court Grand Slam and is set to team with Indonesia’s Janice Tjen against ninth seeds Erin Routliffe of New Zealand and Aldila Sutjiadi of Indonesia in second-round action Saturday.

Later Friday, Ben Shelton, who won the National Bank Open in Montreal last month, fed off the pro-American crowd and advanced to the fourth round in New York with a four-set victory over Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont.

Shelton won 7-6 (3), 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4 in three hours 22 minutes.

The American finished with 14 aces, seven double faults, 47 winners and 54 unforced errors. He won 17 of 21 service games and six of 21 return games.

Shapovalov finished with eight aces, seven double faults, 28 winners and 36 unforced errors. The Canadian won 15 of 21 service games and four of 21 return games.

Shelton will face Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in the next round. Tsitsipas upset 18th-ranked Jiri Lehecka of Czechia in four sets.

Canada’s Fernandez, Shapovalov out of U.S. Open after third-round losses

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