In a gripping second-round clash at the 2025 Cincinnati Open, Canadian tennis star Leylah Fernandez, the 21st seed, suffered a surprising 6-3, 6-3 defeat to Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on Court 3 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio. The match, which unfolded on August 9, 2025, showcased Bouzas Maneiro’s rising star power as she outplayed the former US Open finalist with precision and poise, advancing to the third round of the WTA 1000 event. For Fernandez, the loss marked a setback after her triumphant run at the Citi DC Open, but it also highlighted the fierce competition she faces as she prepares for the upcoming US Open.
Fernandez, ranked world No. 26, entered the tournament with high expectations following her first WTA 500 title in Washington, where she dominated a tough field, including top players like Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina, to claim a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Anna Kalinskaya in the final. “I was just very happy that I got to not only push myself physically through the limits but also mentally,” Fernandez said after her DC Open win, reflecting on the mental fortitude that propelled her to the title. However, her momentum was disrupted by an early exit at the Canadian Open, where she fell 4-6, 1-6 to Maya Joint in the first round. The Cincinnati Open offered a chance to regroup, but Bouzas Maneiro, ranked No. 42, proved a formidable obstacle.
Bouzas Maneiro, a 22-year-old Spaniard enjoying a career-best season, arrived in Cincinnati fresh off a quarter-final run at the Canadian Open, where she lost to eventual champion Victoria Mboko. Her confidence was evident in the first round, where she dispatched tennis legend Venus Williams 6-4, 6-4, breaking Williams’ serve six times and winning 65 percent of her first-serve points. Against Fernandez, Bouzas Maneiro maintained her aggressive form, breaking the Canadian early in the first set to take a 6-3 lead, as noted by fans on social media who praised her composure. “Bouzas Maneiro breaks Fernandez and takes the opening set 6-3,” one observer remarked, highlighting the Spaniard’s early dominance. The second set followed a similar pattern, with Bouzas Maneiro’s precise groundstrokes and relentless pressure securing another 6-3 victory, propelling her to face either Taylor Townsend or Liudmilla Samsonova in the next round.
The match, which lasted just over an hour, underscored Bouzas Maneiro’s upward trajectory. With a 23-17 record in 2025, including 8-7 on hard courts, she has climbed to a career-high ranking and shown she can compete with the WTA’s elite. “Jessica Bouzas Maneiro is a real good player,” one commentator noted, emphasizing her ability to capitalize on opportunities against higher-ranked opponents. Fernandez, despite her 15-9 hard-court record this season, struggled to find her rhythm, managing only four wins in 11 matches against players ranked between 21 and 50. The defeat puts pressure on her to defend quarter-final points from last year’s Cincinnati Open, a feat she acknowledged as challenging: “I’m hoping to build on what I did in Washington and keep pushing forward.”
For fans eager to watch the match, it was broadcast live on the Tennis Channel in the United States, with streaming options available on the T2 Channel via Amazon Prime Video and wtatv.com for subscribers. In Canada, viewers tuned in through TVA Sports, DAZN, or TSN, while in Spain, the match aired on DAZN, TV3, TVE, and the Tennis Channel. The contest, scheduled at 1:30 PM local time, drew significant attention for its upset potential, with betting odds favoring Fernandez at -250 but acknowledging Bouzas Maneiro’s +190 underdog status as a viable threat. “Don’t sleep on Jessica Bouzas Maneiro because she can certainly pull off a stunner,” one analyst cautioned, a prediction that proved prescient.
This loss marks a tough two-match skid for Fernandez, who admitted the grueling schedule has tested her resilience: “We have found balance, things are much better.” As she looks to the US Open, where she’ll face Anastasia Potapova in the first round, Fernandez will need to regroup quickly to harness the form that made her a Grand Slam finalist. Meanwhile, Bouzas Maneiro’s victory, celebrated by fans as “imperial,” signals her emergence as a force to be reckoned with. With a 9-2 record in her last 11 matches, she’s riding a wave of confidence that could carry her deep into the tournament. For Fernandez, the Cincinnati setback is a reminder of the sport’s unpredictability, but her determination and talent ensure she’ll remain a contender on the hard-court swing.
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