Leylah Annie Fernandez is riding high ahead of her return to the US Open, after being bolstered by even more family support than usual during the build-up to the year’s final major.
With dad and longtime coach Jorge Fernandez in tow, the Canadian has put together a solid run on North American hard-courts in both singles and doubles.
Tennis pundits will be quick to point to her strong showing in Cincinnati as the high point: Fernandez claimed her biggest win of the year over world No. 4 Elena Rybakina, and pushed world No. 6 Jessica Pegula in a nail-biting 7-5, 6-7 (1), 7-6 (3) quarterfinal. Fernandez also reached the final in doubles with Yulia Putintseva, knocking out the top-seeded team of Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova out along the way.
Ask Fernandez herself, and the 21-year-old will probably inform you that the real highlight happened before any tennis balls were struck: Her younger sister Bianca Jolie has been traveling to tournaments with the clan again, and even took over “coach” duties in a pinch.
“I’m just happy to have her here and to spend time with her!” Fernandez gushed to press last week. “I haven’t seen her as much as I would want to this year, because she’s gone to school and also I’ve been traveling a lot more.
“So it’s just good to spend time with her and to have her perspective, too.”
The sisters’ reunion has been marked by dozens of joyful selfies and team photos, and it’s proved to be a good omen on the tennis court too. Leylah and Bianca joined forces to reach the doubles semifinals in Toronto, both players’ best result on home soil to date.
In Cincinnati, they turned heads again as 20-year-old Bianca, a UCLA Bruin, briefly stepped up to coach Leylah during her first-round match when dad Jorge had to take a meeting. The Fernandezes won that match, with Leylah completing a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 comeback over Yue Yuan.
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