fernandez

Leylah Fernandez already has guaranteed her best career finish at the Australian Open.

Now, she hopes to keep the good times rolling.

The Canadian booked a spot in the third round with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over Spain’s Cristina Bucsa on Wednesday.

A rain delay of about 15 minutes started at an inopportune time as Fernandez led 15-40 with the score tied at 4-4 and Bucsa serving in the third set. But the Canadian got the first point when play resumed to record the decisive break.

Fernandez is now 2-0 lifetime against the 110th-ranked Bucsa, who lost against the Canadian in the round of 32 at last year’s Paris Olympics.

She finished with more winners (30-13) and saved seven of 10 break points, compared to her opponent’s six of nine.

The 30th-seeded Fernandez had two second-round losses and three first-round losses in five previous appearances in the main draw at the season-opening Grand Slam.

Fernandez next will face the winner of a match between No. 3 seed Coco Gauff of the U.S. and Jodie Burrage of Great Britain.

Meanwhile, Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski and New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe won their first-round women’s doubles match. The No. 2 seeds beat Americans Danielle Collins and Desirae Krawczyk 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

In women’s doubles on Tuesday, the second-seeded Gabriela Dabrowski of Ottawa and partner Erin Routliffe of New Zealand dropped their opening set 6-4 to Americans Danielle Collins and Desirae Krawczyk, but bounced back with 6-4, 6-3 victories to advance.

The Americans had more aces (5-4) and fewer double faults (2-0), but Dabrowski and Routliffe held the advantage in wins off the first serve, unforced errors (10-9) and receiving points (38-30) in the two-hour, 10-minute round of 64 match.

Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal was scheduled to play Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain in a second-round men’s singles match later in the day.

— With files from The Canadian Press