"There have been some changes in my game that I didn't want" - Leylah Fernandez on frustrations since her 2021 US Open final run
WTA
Tennis star Leylah Fernandez has experienced highs and lows in her budding tennis career, and the 22-year old took some time to reflect on her growth during this rollercoaster period.
The Canadian burst into the limelight when she reached the 2021 US Open final, toppling the likes of Elina Svitolina and second seed Aryna Sabalenka en route to the final round. Although she fell to an in-form Emma Raducanu, Fernandez announced her arrival on the WTA scene and has been a staple on tour ever since.
Fernandez looking to improve her game
The Montreal native is currently competing at the 2024 Hong Kong Open, where she defeated Australian Kimberly Birrell to reach the quarterfinals. Fernandez has had some major success, reaching a career-high ranking of World No.13 and leading Canada to Billie Jean King Cup glory.
Nonetheless, Fernandez refuses to rest on her laurels and admitted she still had a lot to learn.
"The progression as a player hasn't been straightforward, with a lot of ups and downs," said the Canadian. There have been some changes in my game that I didn’t want, but I just had to keep learning and growing. Because of those experiences I've been able to learn more about myself as a person and who I want to become on court.
"Yes, I'm a very ambitious person, we are a very ambitious team with high goals. We can’t always be satisfied with results we've done in the past and must make sure we look ahead."
"Yes, I'm a very ambitious person, we are a very ambitious team with high goals. We can’t always be satisfied with results we've done in the past and must make sure we look ahead."
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
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