US Open finalist, Roland-Garros quarter-finalist, Canada: Everything you wanted to know about Leylah Fernandez (but never had the time to find out) – updated after 2024 Eastbourne final
Leylah Fernandez is one of the most exciting young players on the WTA Tour and was the 2021 US Open runner-up. Here are the answers to some common questions you may have about the Canadian
Leylah Fernandez
Who is Leylah Fernandez?
Leylah Fernandez is a tennis player who competes on the women’s professional tour.
Which country does Leylah Fernandez represent?
Fernandez was born on September 6, 2002 in Montreal and represents Canada. She was part of the squad that won the Billie Jean King Cup in 2023, and her form was rewarded with a fourth consecutive year of winning the Tennis Canada women’s player of the year and women’s singles player of the year awards.
What did Leylah Fernandez do at the US Open in 2021?
The then 18-year-old Canadian caused a sensation when she beat defending champion Naomi Osaka 5-7, 7-6, 6-4 in the third round. It was by far the biggest win of her career at that point.
“I watched Naomi win her first US Open (and) I watched her win the Australian Open the very next year,” she said. “Just seeing her and learning from her game has helped me shape who I am right now. I’m just glad that I had the opportunity to play against her tonight and to show everyone that I’m also able to compete against the best players up there.”
Fernandez then followed it up by beating former world No 1 Angelique Kerber in the next round; one day after she turned 19, she beat fifth seed Elina Svitolina to reach her first Grand Slam semi-final, and then the Canadian stunned world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka in three sets to advance to the US Open final.
She lost there to another teenager – Britain’s Emma Raducanu.
what did leylah fernandez do at eastbourne 2024?
Leylah Fernandez reached the final of the Eastbourne 2024. It was her sixth WTA final. Seeking her fourth title, and her first at the 500 level, Fernandez was beaten in the final by Daria Kasatkina.
En route to the final, Fernandez knocked out the defending champion Madison Keys in the semi-finals with a brilliant performance.
what did leylah fernandez do at roland-garros 2024?
Leylah Fernandez reached the third round of Roland-Garros 2024. She beat Jessika Ponchet of France and Xiyu Wang of China in her first two matches before losing to Ons Jabeur in a high-quality third-round encounter.
Who are Leylah Fernandez’s family members?
Fernandez’s father is from Ecuador and was a football player. Her mother is from Toronto but was born to parents from the Philippines. Thus, she is of Ecuadorian and Filipino descent despite playing under the Canadian flag. Fernandez’s younger sister, Bianca Jolie, is also a tennis player. Her older sister, Jodeci, is a dentist.
How tall is Leylah Fernandez?
Fernandez is listed at 5ft 4in, in her profile on the WTA website.
Who is Leylah Fernandez’s coach?
She is coached by her father, Jorge. She had earlier worked with Romain Deridder from 2019 to 2021. In December 2022, it was announced that she was bringing former ATP pro Julian Alonso to be part of her team as well.
How many WTA titles has Fernandez won?
As of May 231, 2024, Fernandez has won three WTA Tour titles. At the age of 18, Fernandez captured the first WTA title of her career at the Monterrey Open in March 2021 (here is the tournament draw). She defeated Viktorija Golubic 6-1, 6-4 in the final, completing a week in which she did not drop a set or even get pushed to a single tiebreak. It was Fernandez’s second appearance in a WTA final and her second in Mexico, having previously finished runner-up at the 2020 Acapulco event.
She defended her title successfully in 2022, beating Camila Osorio in the final, 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(3).
In October 2023, Fernandez won the Hong Kong Open, defeating Katerina Siniaková 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the final to lift her third WTA title.
How has Leylah Fernandez performed at Grand Slams?
Fernandez’s standout result at the Grand Slams came at the 2021 US Open where she went all the way to the final.
She also reached the quarter-finals at Roland-Garros in 2022 but has yet to go past the second round at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
What is Leylah Fernandez’s favourite surface?
Fernandez’s best surface is hardcourts, where she reached her first Grand Slam final at the US Open in 2021. Fernandez is also adept on clay where she reached the quarter-finals of the 2022 Roland-Garros Championships, after beating Amanda Anisimova.
What is Leylah Fernandez’s highest ranking?
The Canadian left-hander peaked at No 13 in the world singles rankings on August 8, 2022 on the back of her US Open runner-up and French Open quarter-final finishes. You can find her current ranking and ranking history on her WTA Tour profile page.
What is Leylah Fernandez’s best victory so far?
In terms of ranking, Fernandez’s win over Aryna Sabalenka, ranked No 2 in the world, in the US Open semi-final has been the biggest win of her career. Earlier in the tournamernt, she also knocked out third-ranked Naomi Osaka, fifth-ranked Elina Svitolina, and 17th-ranked (and former world No 1) Angelique Kerber. In February 2020, she upset then-world No 5 Belinda Bencic 6-2, 7-6(3) in a Fed Cup match between Canada and Switzerland.
Is Leylah Fernandez a part of Canada’s Billie Jean King Cup team?
Yes, as mentioned above Fernandez has been on the Canadian national team. The Fed Cup is now called the Billie Jean King Cup.
How much money has Leylah Fernandez earned on tour?
Fernandez has won $4.75 million, as of May 31, 2024. You can find her updated prize money stats on her WTA profile page.
Is Leylah Fernandez on social media?
Yes. Fernandez is on Twitter where she has more than 111,000 followers as of May 31, 2024. On Instagram, the Canadian has more than 352,000 followers.
