Leylah Annie Fernandez (born 6 September 2002)[1] is a Canadian professional tennis player. She has a career-high ranking of No. 13 by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), achieved on 8 August 2022. Fernandez won her first WTA Tour title at the 2021 Monterrey Open. As a 19-year-old, she finished runner-up at the 2021 US Open to fellow teenager Emma Raducanu, defeating three top-5 players en route to the final (including defending champion Naomi Osaka).
![]() Fernandez at the 2022 US Open | |
Full name | Leylah Annie Fernandez |
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Country (sports) | ![]() |
Residence | Boynton Beach, Florida, U.S.[1] |
Born | (2002-09-06) 6 September 2002 (age 20) Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) |
Turned pro | 2019 |
Plays | Left-handed (two-handed backhand) |
Coach | Jorge Fernandez (father) |
Prize money | US$ 3,232,371 |
Singles | |
Career record | 126–79 (61.5%) |
Career titles | 2 |
Highest ranking | No. 13 (8 August 2022) |
Current ranking | No. 40 (24 October 2022) |
Grand Slam singles results | |
Australian Open | 1R (2020, 2021, 2022) |
French Open | QF (2022) |
Wimbledon | 1R (2021) |
US Open | F (2021) |
Other tournaments | |
Olympic Games | 2R (2021) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 39–34 (53.4%) |
Career titles | 0 |
Highest ranking | No. 54 (23 May 2022) |
Current ranking | No. 76 (7 November 2022) |
Grand Slam doubles results | |
Australian Open | 3R (2021) |
French Open | 3R (2021) |
Wimbledon | 1R (2021) |
US Open | 3R (2021) |
Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
US Open | QF (2022) |
Team competitions | |
BJK Cup | QR (2020), record 5–2 |
Last updated on: 7 November 2022. |
Fernandez was born in Montreal, Quebec.[1] Her father Jorge is from Ecuador and is a former football player. Her mother Irene (née Exevea) is a Filipino Canadian.[2] Her younger sister Bianca Jolie is also a tennis player.[3]
On 25 January 2019, as a 16-year old, Fernandez entered the Australian Open girls' singles final, where she lost to the top-seeded Clara Tauson.[4] On 8 June 2019, Fernandez defeated Emma Navarro in the French Open final to become the first Canadian female winner of a junior Grand Slam title since Eugenie Bouchard at the 2012 Wimbledon Championships.[3]
On 21 July 2019, Fernandez won her first professional singles tennis title when she rallied to beat fellow Canadian Carson Branstine in the final of the Gatineau Challenger. Fernandez also won her first professional doubles title on the same date when she teamed with Rebecca Marino of Vancouver. The pair defeated the second-seeded team of Marcela Zacarías of Mexico and Hsu Chieh-yu of Taiwan.[5] The following week, she made her second consecutive ITF final in Granby,[6] losing to Lizette Cabrera of Australia.
Fernandez made her Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open. After qualifying, she lost in the first round to Lauren Davis.[7]
She achieved the biggest win of her career the following week in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifying round against world No. 5, Belinda Bencic.[8]
In late February at the Mexican Open, she qualified and reached her first WTA tournament final, where, after winning 12 sets in a row, she was defeated by world No. 69, Heather Watson. A week later, she upset Grand Slam champion Sloane Stephens to reach the quarterfinals of the Monterrey Open, losing to the eventual champion, Elina Svitolina.
In October at the French Open, Fernandez reached the third round, first by upsetting 31st seed Magda Linette in the opening round, and then defeating Polona Hercog before losing to Petra Kvitová, in straight sets.
Fernandez began 2021 without consecutive wins in her first four tournaments. However, in March at the Monterrey Open, she won her first four matches to reach the final, defeating Viktorija Golubic to win the first WTA title of her career. At 18 years old, she was the youngest player in the main draw, and won without dropping a set during the tournament.[9][10]
At the US Open, Fernandez became a fan favorite due to her unexpected success as an underdog.[11][12] She defeated the third seed and defending champion, Naomi Osaka, in three sets in the third round,[13] former world No. 1 and three-time major champion, Angelique Kerber, in the fourth round, in three sets,[14] and fifth seed Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals, again in three sets, to reach her maiden major semifinal a day after her 19th birthday. She then defeated Aryna Sabalenka, the second seed, to reach her first major final[15] and also the first player born in 2002 to reach such a final. It was the third time in the Open Era that a woman defeated three of the top five seeds at the US Open.[citation needed] In the final, she lost to fellow teenager Emma Raducanu in straight sets.[16]
Fernandez then made her Indian Wells Open debut as the 23rd seed. She first beat Alizé Cornet in the second round and French Open finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the third, before suffering an upset in the fourth round by Shelby Rogers.
At the end of the year, Fernandez was given the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award by the Canadian Press as its choice for Canadian female athlete of 2021.[17]
Fernandez started the season at the Adelaide International. She advanced to the round of 16 where she was defeated by Iga Świątek, in straight sets.[18] She lost to Maddison Inglis in the opening round of the Australian Open as the 23rd seed.[19]
In March, Fernandez defended her Monterrey Open title, reaching her fourth final and winning her second WTA title. Beating Anna Karolína Schmiedlová, Zheng Qinwen, Wang Qiang and Beatriz Haddad Maia to reach the final, Fernandez won against Camila Osorio in three sets, saving five championship points in the final set.[20][21] Fernandez also entered the doubles competition with her sister, Bianca Fernandez. They lost in the first round to Elixane Lechemia and Ingrid Neel.[22]
Fernandez subsequently entered the Indian Wells Open. Receiving a bye in the first round, she advanced to third round after a retirement from Amanda Anisimova, where she won the second-set tiebreak, and defeated Shelby Rogers in three sets. She lost to defending champion Paula Badosa in the fourth round.[23] Fernandez also entered the doubles competition, partnering with Alizé Cornet. The pair reached the semifinals, before losing to eventual champions Xu Yifan and Yang Zhaoxuan.[24]
In May, at the French Open, Fernandez beat Olympic champion Belinda Bencic and 2019 French Open semifinalist Amanda Anisimova in the third and fourth round, before losing to Martina Trevisan in the quarterfinals.[25]
A Grade III fractured foot acquired during her quarterfinal match with Trevisan forced her to miss Wimbledon after a first-round exit the previous year to Ostapenko.
At the Canadian Open, Fernandez lost in the second round to eventual finalist Beatriz Haddad Maia.[26] At the Cincinnati Masters, Fernandez lost in the first round to Ekaterina Alexandrova.[27]
Fernandez entered the US Open seeded 14th. In her opening round, Fernandez beat Océane Dodin, before losing to Liudmila Samsonova in the second round. With the loss of most of her points from reaching the final last year, Fernandez is set to fall outside of the top 30.[28] Fernandez has also entered the doubles draws, pairing with Daria Saville in the women's doubles, with whom she reached the second round, and with Jack Sock in the mixed doubles with whom she reached the quarter finals.[29][30]
Fernandez is a fan of Spanish football team Real Madrid, and English football team Manchester City.[31] She speaks fluent English, French and Spanish.[32]
Fernandez is sponsored by Canadian brand Lululemon for apparel and by French brand Babolat for racquets, currently using the Babolat Pure Aero racquet. In January 2022, she became the first global brand ambassador in tennis for Lululemon. Lululemon replaces her prior apparel sponsor Asics, which she will continue to use for footwear until Lululemon launches its tennis footwear line by the end of 2022.[33] She is also sponsored by wireless telecommunications company Telcel/Claro, cosmetics company Birchbox, Morgan Stanley, and EasyPost.[34] She also is a brand ambassador for Flair Airlines along with fellow Canadians Eugenie Bouchard and Felix Auger Aliassime.[35] Additional sponsors include USANA, Microsure, and Cambridge Global Payments.[36][37] In January 2022, she became a Google ambassador in Canada for the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro as well as Gatorade Canada ambassador.[38][39]
W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
Only main-draw results in WTA Tour, Grand Slam tournaments, Billie Jean King Cup and Olympic Games are included in win–loss records.[40]
Current through the 2022 Guadalajara Open.
Tournament | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | SR | W–L | Win % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grand Slam | ||||||||
Australian Open | A | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | 0 / 3 | 0–3 | 0% |
French Open | A | A | 3R | 2R | QF | 0 / 3 | 7–3 | 70% |
Wimbledon | A | A | NH | 1R | A | 0 / 1 | 0–1 | 0% |
US Open | A | A | 2R | F | 2R | 0 / 3 | 8–3 | 73% |
Win–loss | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–3 | 7–4 | 5–3 | 0 / 10 | 15–10 | 60% |
National representation | ||||||||
Summer Olympics | NH | 2R | 0 / 1 | 1–1 | 50% | |||
Billie Jean King Cup[lower-alpha 1] | A | PO | QR | PO | 0 / 0 | 3–2 | 60% | |
WTA 1000 | ||||||||
Dubai / Qatar Open[lower-alpha 2] | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – |
Indian Wells Open | A | A | NH | 4R | 4R | 0 / 2 | 4–2 | 67% |
Miami Open | A | A | NH | Q1 | 2R | 0 / 1 | 0–1 | 0% |
Madrid Open | A | A | NH | Q1 | 2R | 0 / 1 | 1–1 | 50% |
Italian Open | A | A | Q1 | Q1 | 2R | 0 / 1 | 1–1 | 50% |
Canadian Open | Q2 | 1R | NH | 1R | 2R | 0 / 3 | 1–3 | 25% |
Cincinnati Open | A | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | 0 / 3 | 0–3 | 0% |
Wuhan Open | A | A | NH | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – | ||
China Open | A | A | NH | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – | ||
Guadalajara Open | NH | 1R | 0 / 1 | 0–1 | 0% | |||
Win–loss | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 5–7 | 0 / 12 | 7–12 | 37% |
Career statistics | ||||||||
Tournament | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | SR | W–L | Win% |
Tournaments | 1 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 14 | Career total: 39 | ||
Titles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Career total: 2 | ||
Finals | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | Career total: 4 | ||
Hardcourt win–loss | 1–1 | 0–2 | 9–7 | 19–9 | 12–9 | 0 / 29 | 41–28 | 59% |
Clay win–loss | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 6–4 | 0 / 7 | 9–8 | 53% |
Grass win–loss | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–3 | 0–0 | 0 / 3 | 3–3 | 50% |
Overall win–loss | 1–1 | 0–3 | 11–8 | 23–14 | 18–13 | 2 / 39 | 53–39 | 58% |
Win % | 50% | 0% | 58% | 62% | 58% | Career total: 58% | ||
Year-end ranking | 487 | 209 | 88 | 24 | $2,319,572 |
Current through the 2022 US Open.
Tournament | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | SR | W–L | Win % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grand Slam | ||||||||
Australian Open | A | A | A | 3R | 1R | 0 / 2 | 2–2 | 50% |
French Open | A | A | 1R | 3R | 2R | 0 / 3 | 2–3 | 40% |
Wimbledon | A | A | NH | 1R | A | 0 / 1 | 0–1 | 0% |
US Open | A | A | A | 3R | 2R | 0 / 2 | 3–2 | 60% |
Win–loss | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 5–4 | 2–3 | 0 / 8 | 7–8 | 47% |
WTA 1000 | ||||||||
Dubai / Qatar Open[lower-alpha 2] | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – |
Indian Wells Open | A | A | NH | QF | SF | 0 / 2 | 4–2 | 67% |
Miami Open | A | A | NH | A | 1R | 0 / 1 | 0–1 | 0% |
Madrid Open | A | A | NH | A | 2R | 0 / 1 | 1–1 | 50% |
Italian Open | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – |
Canadian Open | A | 1R | NH | 2R | 2R | 0 / 3 | 2–3 | 40% |
Cincinnati Open | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – |
Wuhan Open | A | A | NH | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – | ||
China Open | A | A | NH | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – | ||
Mexican Open | NMS/NH | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – | ||||
Win–loss | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 4–4 | 0 / 7 | 7–7 | 50% |
Career statistics | ||||||||
Tournament | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | SR | W–L | Win% |
Tournaments | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 9 | Career total: 21 | ||
Titles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Career total: 0 | ||
Finals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Career total: 0 | ||
Hardcourt win–loss | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 8–6 | 5–6 | 0 / 15 | 13–14 | 48% |
Clay win–loss | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0 / 5 | 3–5 | 38% |
Grass win–loss | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0 / 1 | 0–1 | 0% |
Overall win–loss | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 9–9 | 7–8 | 0 / 21 | 16–20 | 44% |
Win % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 50% | 47% | Career total: 44% | ||
Year-end ranking | 981 | 296 | 293 | 74 |
Result | Year | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 2021 | US Open | Hard | ![]() |
4–6, 3–6 |
|
|
Result | W–L | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 0–1 | Feb 2020 | Mexican Open | International[lower-alpha 3] | Hard | ![]() |
4–6, 7–6(10–8), 1–6 |
Win | 1–1 | Mar 2021 | Monterrey Open, Mexico | WTA 250 | Hard | ![]() |
6–1, 6–4 |
Loss | 1–2 | Sep 2021 | US Open | Grand Slam | Hard | ![]() |
4–6, 3–6 |
Win | 2–2 | Mar 2022 | Monterrey Open, Mexico (2) | WTA 250 | Hard | ![]() |
6–7(5–7), 6–4, 7–6(7–3) |
|
|
Result | W–L | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1–0 | Jul 2019 | ITF Gatineau, Canada | 25,000 | Hard | ![]() |
3–6, 6–1, 6–2 |
Loss | 1–1 | Jul 2019 | Granby Challenger, Canada | 80,000 | Hard | ![]() |
1–6, 4–6 |
Loss | 1–2 | Oct 2019 | Waco Showdown, United States | 25,000 | Hard | ![]() |
3–6, 6–2, 1–6 |
|
|
Result | W–L | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1–0 | Jul 2019 | ITF Gatineau, Canada | 25,000 | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
7–6(7–5), 6–3 |
Win | 2–0 | Oct 2019 | Saguenay Challenger, Canada | 60,000 | Hard (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
7–6(7–3), 6–2 |
Loss | 2–1 | Nov 2019 | Toronto Challenger, Canada | 60,000 | Hard (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–7(7–9), 2–6 |
Loss | 2–2 | Oct 2020 | ITF Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt | 15,000 | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 3–6, [6–10] |
Result | Year | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 2019 | Australian Open | Hard | ![]() |
4–6, 3–6 |
Win | 2019 | French Open | Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 6–2 |
As of 7 March 2022
Year | Grand Slam singles titles | WTA singles titles | Total singles titles | Earnings ($) | Money list rank |
2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3,608 | 973 |
2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9,899 | 618 |
2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42,525 | 322 |
2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 356,669 | 61 |
2021 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1,772,625 | 13 |
2022 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 133,930 | 75 |
Career | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2,319,572 | 235 |
The tournaments won by Fernandez are in boldface, and advanced into finals by Fernandez are in italics.
Year | Australian Open | French Open | Wimbledon | US Open |
---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | qualifier | not seeded | cancelled | not seeded |
2021 | not seeded | not seeded | not seeded | not seeded (1) |
2022 | 23rd | 17th | absent | 14th |
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Active players are in boldface.[41]
Player | Years | Record | Win % | Hard | Clay | Grass | Last match |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number 1 ranked players | |||||||
![]() |
2021 | 1–0 | 100% | 1–0 | – | – | Won (4–6, 7–6(7–5), 6–2) at 2021 US Open |
![]() |
2021 | 1–0 | 100% | 1–0 | – | – | Won (5–7, 7–6(7–2), 6–4) at 2021 US Open |
![]() |
2022 | 0–1 | 0% | 0–1 | – | – | Lost (1–6, 2–6) at 2022 Adelaide |
Number 2 ranked players | |||||||
![]() |
2021 | 1–0 | 100% | 1–0 | – | – | Won (7–6(7–3), 4–6, 6–4) at 2021 US Open |
![]() |
2020 | 1–0 | 100% | 1–0 | – | – | Won (6–4, 7–5) at 2020 US Open |
![]() |
2021 | 0–1 | 0% | 0–1 | – | – | Lost (2–6, 4–6) at 2021 Tokyo Olympics |
![]() |
2020 | 0–1 | 0% | – | 0–1 | – | Lost (5–7, 3–6) at 2020 French Open |
![]() |
2020–22 | 0–2 | 0% | 0–2 | – | – | Lost (4–6, 4–6) at 2022 Indian Wells |
![]() |
2020–21 | 0–2 | 0% | 0–1 | – | 0–1 | Lost (4–6, 6–3, 6–7(3–7)) at 2021 Birmingham |
Number 3 ranked players | |||||||
![]() |
2020–21 | 3–0 | 100% | 3–0 | – | – | Won (6–3, 6–1) at 2021 Melbourne |
![]() |
2020–21 | 1–1 | 50% | 1–1 | – | – | Won (6–3, 3–6, 7–6(7–5)) at 2021 US Open |
![]() |
2021 | 0–1 | 0% | 0–1 | – | – | Lost (2–6, 2–6) at 2021 Melbourne |
Number 4 ranked players | |||||||
![]() |
2020–22 | 2–1 | 67% | 1–1 | 1–0 | – | Lost (5–7, 7–6(12–10), 3–6) at 2022 Guadalajara |
![]() |
2018 | 0–1 | 0% | 0–1 | – | – | Lost (1–6, 4–6) at 2018 Granby |
![]() |
2020 | 0–1 | 0% | 0–1 | – | – | Lost (4–6, 3–6) at 2020 US Open |
Number 5 ranked players | |||||||
![]() |
2021 | 0–1 | 0% | – | – | 0–1 | Lost (1–6, 2–6) at 2021 Wimbledon |
Number 7 ranked players | |||||||
![]() |
2021 | 0–1 | 0% | – | 0–1 | – | Lost (1–6, 5–7) at 2021 French Open |
Number 9 ranked players | |||||||
![]() |
2021 | 1–0 | 100% | 1–0 | – | – | Won (6–3, 6–2) at 2021 Monterrey |
![]() |
2022 | 1–0 | 100% | – | 1–0 | – | Won (6–1, 1–6, 6–4) at 2022 Madrid |
![]() |
2022 | 0–2 | 0% | 0–1 | 0–1 | – | Lost (2–6, 2–6) at 2022 San Diego |
Number 10 ranked players | |||||||
![]() |
2022 | 1–0 | 100% | – | 1–0 | – | Won (6–0, 7–5) at 2022 French Open |
![]() |
2021 | 0–1 | 0% | 0–1 | – | – | Lost (4–6, 3–6) at 2021 US Open |
Total | 2018–22 | 13–17 | 43% | 10–12 (45%) |
3–3 (60%) |
0–2 (0%) |
Last updated 18 October 2022 |
Fernandez's record against players who have been ranked world No. 11–20. Active players are in boldface:[citation needed]
Season | 2020 | 2021 | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Wins | 1 | 3 | 4 |
# | Opponent | Rank | Event | Surface | Rd | Score | LFR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | |||||||
1. | ![]() |
No. 5 | BJK Cup, Switzerland | Hard (i) | QR | 6–2, 7–6(7–3) | No. 185 |
2021 | |||||||
2. | ![]() |
No. 3 | US Open | Hard | 3R | 5–7, 7–6(7–2), 6–4 | No. 73 |
3. | ![]() |
No. 5 | US Open | Hard | QF | 6–3, 3–6, 7–6(7–5) | No. 73 |
4. | ![]() |
No. 2 | US Open | Hard | SF | 7–6(7–3), 4–6, 6–4 | No. 73 |
{{cite web}}
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Bobbie Rosenfeld Award | |
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1932–1950 |
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1976–2000 |
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2001–present |
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Women's Tennis Association: Top female singles tennis players from the Americas | |
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as of 31 October 2022 | |
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Women's Tennis Association: ![]() | |
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as of 8 August 2022 | |
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Women's Tennis Association: ![]() | |
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as of 14 June 2021 | |
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