ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, CMC – Nicolette Fernandes failed on Thursday in her bid to reach the quarter-finals of the Dutch Open.
The World-rated Guyanese lost her first round match against second seed Michelle Perry in straight sets, 11-9, 11-4, 11-5.
The 27-year-old Fernandes lasted just under half-hour in the match against the World No. 6 from Ireland.
Fernandes had reached the last 16 in this Dutch city, when she toppled hometown girl Dagmar Vermuelen 13-11, 11-7, 12-10 in just under half-hour in the first round of qualifying last Tuesday.
She then overcame Leonie Holt of England 11-3, 11-9, 11-4 in 20 minutes to qualify for her place in the main draw against Perry.
The result is not likely to affect Fernandes’ current World ranking of 49th, following a season in which she has reached the semi-finals of five competitions, without carrying-on to the Final.
She lost to American Olivia Blatchford in the semi-finals of the Liberty Bell Open in straight set, and suffered a similar result in the semi-finals of the Swedish Open the following month to World No.8 Vanessa Atkinson.
In April, Fernandes lost in the Final Four of the Racquet Club International to American Amanda Sohby, the same opponent that stopped her at the same stage in the New England Open the following month.
She then lost in the semi-finals of Sun & Surf Open in the Cayman Islands to another American Latasha Khan.
Fernandes reached a career-high World ranking of 27th three years ago before a career-threatening knee injury, which required an operation, sidelined her for 23 months.
