After competing in the Tokyo Olympics for Canada, 19-year-old tennis player Leylah Fernandez [1] is off to the US Open quarterfinals this afternoon. Fernandez's competitive nature has been her driving force in her journey to the quarterfinals of the US Open.
After her 2019 junior Grand Slam win, being the first Canadian teenage girl to do so since Eugenie Bouchard [2] in 2012, Fernandez has been one to watch on the tennis court. In the past year alone she's made the final of the Mexican Open, the third round of the French Open, won the Monterrey Open, and competed in the Tokyo Olympics.
During the Monterrey Open, Fernandez never dropped a set and beat well-known players Belinda Bencic [3] and Sloane Stephens [4] along the way. At the US Open, Fernandez has already won against Naomi Osaka [5] and Angelique Kerber [6].
Before you watch Fernandez compete in the US Open quarterfinals, keep reading to find out more about the left-handed tennis player both on and off the tennis court.
Leylah Fernandez is Tri-Lingual
She speaks English, French, and Spanish.
Leylah Fernandez Is Co-Coached By Her Father Jorge Fernandez
Born in Montreal, CA, Leylah Fernandez is coached by both Romain Deridder [7] and her father Jorge Fernandez in Boynton Beach, Florida where she lives with her parents and younger sister. According to ESPN analyst Rennae Stubbs (who has spoken to the Fernandez family [8]), Jorge's training style "has sort of like a military training regimen" which has helped Leylah build confidence in her competitive athletic skills over the years.
Leylah Fernandez Has Plenty Of Hobbies For When She's Not Focussed on Tennis
Off the tennis court, Leylah Fernandez has a list of hobbies [9] including salsa dancing with her little sister Bianca, putting puzzles together, and solving Rubik's cubes.
Leylah Fernandez Grew Up Playing Football and Tennis
Leylah Fernandez's Ecuadorian father Jorge Fernandez is well versed in football. He's shared that love of football with her since she was a child.
Although Leylah began playing tennis when she was six years old, her father ended up borrowing his knowledge from football to help coach Leylah in tennis when she wanted to play more seriously at 10 years old.
Leylah Fernandez Loves Desserts
While Leylah Fernandez is a general dessert lover, molten lava chocolate cake has a special place in her heart. . . and stomach.