Fernandez credits yoga for movement on clay, aims for Top 10 breakthrough in 2022

After her surprise run to the 2021 US Open finals last September, Leylah Fernandez has set new goals for the 2022 season, which include a Top 10 finish.

The Canadian currently sits at World No.19, which matches her career best. After successfully defending her Monterrey title in March, the 19-year old is looking to improve her performance on clay. To achieve this goal, Fernandez has ramped up her yoga sessions, which she claims have improved her movements on the red dirt.

“The difficulty is that clay is very slippery,” Fernandez said. “So all of your muscles, your ligaments get stretched out a lot in contrast to a hard court. So we did a lot of stretching, a lot of yoga so that my groin, the muscles in my legs, can be prepared for what’s coming.”

Furthermore, she stressed the importance of having the proper mindset when playing on clay vs hard courts.

“On a hard court, everything goes faster,” she said. “On a clay court, the balls keep coming back. So you have to hit a few more good shots, a few more winners so that you can win the point. We trained a few hours on clay every day, trying to get used to it.”

With two WTA titles to her name and a career high of World No.19, Fernandez hopes to begin her ascension up the rankings as she aims for a Top 10 finish to the season. She hopes to achieve this using her game and the support of her team.

“Since the US Open, life has changed just a little bit,” Fernandez said. “But I have a great team around me, who are able to manage that side of the business. They let me focus on my profession, because tennis is my No.1 focus.”