Rebecca Marino’s stay in California was very short. She lowered her flag in the first round of the Indian Wells tournament on Thursday.

However, the Torontonian was the favorite in her duel against Czech Marketa Vondrousova, ranked 105th in the world. Instead, after just 1 hour and 11 minutes of play, she lost in two identical sets 6-2.

Marino, ranked 75th in the WTA rankings, had his serve stolen in the first game and that set the tone for the game. Vondrousova had four breaks and didn’t give her opponent a chance to hit her back.

Marino lost half of the rallies she initiated but only won 17% of the points when Vondrousova was in possession.

A 2023 peloton has the Maple Leaf representative yet to win two straight games.

Vondrousova meets her compatriot Maria Bouzkova, 28th seed, in the second round.

Fernandez advances in doubles

At the side of the doubles table, the young Quebecer Leylah Fernandez achieved success with her partner, the American Taylor Townsend.

The North American pair defeated Taiwanese Chan Hao-ching and Latisha Chan. After 1h 34min at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden they won in straight sets 6-4, 7-6 (5).

The second set was hotly contested and the four athletes were able to avoid service breaks. Finally, in the tiebreak, Fernandez and Townsend used their first match point to end hostilities.

In the second round they were able to compete with the first seeded Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova.

In the singles draw, Fernandez, who used a bye, awaits the match between American qualifiers Emma Navarro and Caty McNally.