Back at the U.S. Open, Leylah Fernandez Tries to Be ‘the Best Version of Myself’

Since last year’s Open, Fernandez has struggled to find her form. She has won consecutive matches in just four tournaments, including defending her first WTA title in Monterrey, Mexico, and reaching the quarterfinals at the French Open. All but two of her losses have come against lower-ranked players.

At the French Open, Fernandez suffered a foot injury that sidelined her much of the summer. She limped through a quarterfinal loss to Martina Trevisan, and an X-ray later showed a stress fracture in her right foot. She didn’t return to the tour until Toronto three weeks ago and has won only one match since.

Despite not being as tall as other tour players (she’s 5-foot-6), Fernandez’s feistiness carries her far.

“She has great timing and competes really well,” said the three-time major finalist and current ESPN analyst Mary Joe Fernandez, who is no relation to Leylah. “She’s not big but she packs a big punch. As a lefty, she could use her serve better, the way John McEnroe and Monica Seles did. But she doesn’t mind the pressure and really seems to relish the big moments.”

When Fernandez was younger, she was so shy that she couldn’t bring herself to approach her idol, the seven-time major champion Justine Henin, when they were seated at adjoining tables in the player dining room at the 2019 French Open. Fernandez had won the junior title.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/29/sports/leylah-fernandez-us-open.html