After producing back-to-back top-seed upsets at the 2021 US Open, defeating the likes of Naomi Osaka, Elina Svitolina, and Aryna Sabalenka, young Canadian tennis sensation Leylah Fernandez had some tough luck in the finals when she lost to the in-form Emma Raducanu.
When asked about how she deals with pressure on-court after her third round match at Indian Wells, Fernandez gave an adorable answer. She revealed a sweet memory of playing football with her dad in a park and mentioned that going back to that moment eases all her pressure.
Every time that pressure is going up on court, I think back to that moment. It always brings a smile to my face, calms me down. Just want to be a little kid who want to be playing in a park once again. That just helps a lot.
leyla fernandez
Leylah Fernandez 💬: “Every time that pressure is going up on court, I think back to that moment (playing football with her dad), it always brings a smile to my face, calms me down. Just want to be a little kid who want to be playing in a park once again. That just helps a lot.” pic.twitter.com/yTbkdR50ve
— Tennis Majors (@Tennis_Majors) October 11, 2021
Even in the US Open final against Raducanu, Fernandez was smiling despite the match not being in her favor and only got a bit emotional towards the end of that contest. From what the Canadian explained, it’s evident that this innocent memory from her childhood keeps her serene under pressure.
Leylah Fernandez survives a 3-set scare against Pavlyuchenkova at 2021 Indian Wells
Leylah’s third-round opponent was the French Open runner-up, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
It was not an easy match for Leylah, but the Canadian showed immense grit in tense situations and got out of trouble with a courageous baseline game. Fernandez lost the first set and then bounced back in the next two to defeat the Russian, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.
At Indian Wells, the youngster is enjoying the love and support showered by local fans as there have been packed crowds for all her matches so far, including her doubles matches with partner Coco Gauff.
For Leylah’s upcoming match, she will face American Shelby Rogers later today for a place in her maiden WTA 1000 quarter-finals. The duo met once on tour last year at the Top Seed Open in Lexington, where Rogers defeated Fernandez in straight sets, 6-2, 7-5.
Even though Fernandez enters the match as a favorite, her defeat to the American last year and the fact that Shelby Rogers defeated Ash Barty at the US Open might make this match an exciting match, indeed!
fernandez is a media creature, like globalization dreams, she is a loser, is like shark and her dad 2 shark