Leylah Fernandez — Biography
Born on September 6, 2002, Leylah Annie Fernandez is a professional tennis player hailing from Canada. Her highest career ranking according to the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) was No. 15, a position she attained on June 6, 2022. Fernandez secured her inaugural WTA Tour title at the 2021 Monterrey Open. At the age of 19, she was the runner-up at the 2021 US Open, falling to fellow teenager Emma Raducanu after triumphing over three players ranked in the top 5, including the defending champion Naomi Osaka. The 2022 season saw Fernandez begin at the Adelaide International, where she reached the round of 16 before being eliminated by Iga Świątek in straight sets. Her journey at the Australian Open concluded in the first round, where she, seeded 23rd, was defeated by Maddison Inglis. In March, Fernandez successfully defended her Monterrey Open title, marking her fourth final appearance and second WTA championship. She navigated her way to the final by overcoming Anna Karolína Schmiedlová, Zheng Qinwen, Wang Qiang, and Beatriz Haddad Maia, ultimately defeating Camila Osorio in a three-set thriller, having saved five championship points in the decisive set. She also competed in doubles alongside her sister, Bianca Fernandez, but their partnership ended in the first round against Elixane Lechemia and Ingrid Neel. Subsequently, Fernandez participated in the Indian Wells Open. After receiving a bye in the initial round, she advanced to the third round when Amanda Anisimova retired from their match. Fernandez then defeated Shelby Rogers in a three-set contest. Her run was halted in the fourth round by the defending champion, Paula Badosa. In doubles, teaming with Alizé Cornet, they reached the semifinals before being defeated by the eventual champions, Xu Yifan and Yang Zhaoxuan. At the French Open in May, Fernandez defeated Olympic champion Belinda Bencic and 2019 French Open semifinalist Amanda Anisimova in the third and fourth rounds respectively, before her quarterfinal exit to Martina Trevisan. A fractured foot, sustained during her quarterfinal match against Trevisan, prevented her from competing at Wimbledon, following her first-round departure the previous year to Ostapenko. At the Canadian Open, Fernandez's tournament ended in the second round with a loss to eventual finalist Beatriz Haddad Maia. Her campaign at the Cincinnati Open was brief, with a first-round defeat to Ekaterina Alexandrova. Entering the US Open as the 14th seed, Fernandez defeated Océane Dodin in her opening match, but was then eliminated by Liudmila Samsonova in the second round. Due to the significant points she gained from last year's final being removed, Fernandez was projected to fall outside
